Tokyo Mew Mew Kichigo Style
by Mikka3000
Summary: Ichigo's dream is to fall in love, but with school, work, becoming a Mew, protecting earth, a stalker, and a certain enemy alien in the way, when does she have time for that? Its the story of Tokyo Mew Mew just twisted into KisshuxIchigo style. Review!
1. Chapter 1

**Tokyo Mew Mew Kichigo –style**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew or any of its characters or its plot... just what I twisted it around to be in this fanfic…heh heh…**

Chapter 1:

"There he is, Ichigo, go ask him!" Said a blond haired girl nodding over at a boy standing on the sidewalk.

"No! I can't! What if he says no?" Replied a red head with pigtails

"You'll never know until you try." Said another girl with short brown hair.

"Yeah! And the rumors about him are nice! He is the most adored boy in school—by the girls anyway."

"But what—"

"I'm sure he won't be like the other boys you dated."

"Go on!"

"Yeah!"

The two girls pushed the red haired girl across the street. She stumbled a little, then walked over to the boy with dark hair. He was wearing a kendo uniform and holding a kendo mask.

"_I'm Momoiya Ichigo. I'm 12 and in seventh grade. I've dated a lot of jerks who have all let me let me down. I'm still searching for my love though. I won't give up!"_

"Good morning Aoyama-kun."

"Eh? Ah! Good morning, Momoiya-san."

"Uh-huh…well, I was wondering if you are free Sunday."

"Ummmm…yeah I am."

"I was kind of hoping that you would….I was wondering if you would like to go to that new animal exibit with me."

"Sure. I'll go with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'll meet you at the station at 9:00 a.m.! see ya there!" And with that he ran off.

There was a pause as Ichigo just stood there then…"YOSH!" she jumped up and the blond girl Moe and the brunette Miwa joined her dancing around at her success in getting a date.

Ighigo woke up late and rushed to the station.

"Geez! I'm supposed to be the good one! How can I mess up on a first date by just being late!?"

She stopped to look into a window that showed her reflection. "I guess I look ok…" she posed and winked. "Great!" she smiled at her refection.

She turned to the station and saw Aoyama. "There he is…watching that girl go by?!"

"HEY!! Aoyama-kun!" she ran up to him. "What was that just now?"

"What was what?"

"I saw you! You were looking at that girl… Are you even listening!?"

He watched as two more girls walked by. "Hey! I'm you're date remember?!" she crossed her arms. "But I guess not. Just forget it the date is o—"

"Are you coming or not? The train is going to leave soon without us." Aoyama cut her off.

She followed him onto the train, but she didn't know why.

"I 'm sorry" she heard him say, her back facing him. "I should be paying attention to you shouldn't I." he bowed. "Please give me another chance and accept my apology. I will do better from now on."

Ichigo turned around. _So polite._ She thought to herself. "Alright. I'll give you another chance."

The train soon reached there destination. They went to the exhibit and enjoyed everything, from looking at irimote wildcats to taking pictures together. But no one noticed the golden cat camera watching Ichigo and her date.

Soon the day was over and the two went to the park.

"Great day huh?" Ichigo streched.

"Yeah. This means that…." He trailed off.

_What? He couldn't want to kiss me on the first date?! I don't even know him that well! _she thought to herself.

"NO!" she put her hands up to sheild her face.

"…that we have to do our best to protect endangered animals."

Ichigo fell over. "Oh. Okay should we go now?" she took two steps and tripped over a tree log. Aoyama caught her and leaned in so close that Ichigo panicked and made herself fall out of his arms.

"Are you ok?" Aoyama asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She sat rubbing her rear.

"Ok" he saw a girl walk by a vending machine. "I'm gonna go get us some drinks." And he was off.

Ichigo rolled over in her spot on the ground. "That was weird." She got up and looked over at a pink café. "Awe how cute!!" she started spazing out and running in circles, completely unaware of what was happening to her. Suddenly she was surrounded by green. A cat stood in front of her. "That's an irimote wild cat, like the one I saw at the exhibit." She said. It came closer, so she picked it up and…it went into her?

"Ah!" Ichigo sat up from the grass right next to Aoyama. "Agh!" Wait!"She turned to see him sitting next to her with a can of unopenned juice in his hand. His jacket covered her body like a blanket.

"What happened?" she said as she gave him back his jacket and he handed her the juice.

"You fell asleep." Aoyama replied.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked comfy. Don't worry it was only three hours."

"THREE HOURS!? Oh my! I…uh…" _No wonder it looks late… _

"Com'on we should be going now."

"Yeah."

"YOU FELL ASLEEP?!" Miwa exclaimed the next morning at school.

"What kind of person falls asleep on their first date?" Moe put her hands on her hips. "You should go apologize properly."

"You're right." Ichigo said as she switched her shoes in her locker. "But it is not like he doesn't have a fault either. He was looking at other girls before and after we checked out the exhibit."

"What a jerk! I think you should drop it here and now, so you don't get hurt." Miwa advised.

"You guys are the ones who told me to ask him out in the first place. You said that there were good rumors about him." Ichigo said. "He said he would do better from now on and he apologized, but he still did it again. I saw him flirting with a girl when he went to get us drinks. I think I'll just go apologize for falling asleep, then drop it."

"Ok do that, but if you do give him another chance, don't get too attached, alright? " Moe cautioned.

"Alright. OH RIGHT! He is probably in the gym now! I have to get there before all the girls crowd up!" Ichigo said while running away.

Miwa and Moe followed.

"Awe, we're too late. We're at the back of the crowd." Ichigo whined. "Oh well." She felt for her pocket. "Oh yeah, I still have these don't I? how did they get in this pocket? It would be bad if other girls saw them."

"Hey, Ichigo, what's that?" Moe pointed to the pictures of Ichigo and Aoyama in Ichigo's hand.

"Ah! What's what?" she holds it up in the air out of Moe's reach and backs up. Then the wind blows it out of her hand. "Ah! Hey! No!" she jumped up and down to catch it and turning around she finally did— on the rail on the balcony.

"Ah! Aaahhh!" she screamed as she fell then flipped in the air landing on her feet. "Huh?"

"Ichigo! Are you okay?" Miwa and Moe asked concerned. "That was amazing! How did you do that?"

Ding dong, dong ding Dong ding, ding dong –the bell rang for class.

On throughout the day strange things have been happening to Ichigo. She napped through class, had an unusual craving for fish, could tell the weather, and was now saying "~nya" at the end of every sentence. "What is wrong with me?" she thought as she walked through the park. "Even to Aoyama-kun when we apologized to each other. "Why did I run away? That was dumb! Maybe I'll find the answer here." She stopped in front of that pink café building she saw the day before. "This is where my problems started anyway." Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Aoyama. "Did he come looking for me? It would be sweet if he weren't staring at that girl below the bridge the whole time! What is he obsessed with women?! Jerk! I guess I had better go see what he wants." He didn't see her, so she followed him. When she finally caught up to him, he was on the ground and unconscious. Ichigo ran to towards the boy and knelt at his side. "Aoyama-kun! What happened to you? Wake up! Hold on!" While Ichigo was worring, she didn't notice the huge rat-monster creeping around in the mist. When she finally did, it's tail would have hit her if it weren't for this boy with blonde hair who rescued her.

"Who are you?" they landed in a tree.

"Now is not the time for questions." He jumped to another tree. "Fight that."

"Me? How am I going to fight that?"

"Don't you want to save your boyfriend?"

"He is NOT my boyfriend!! But he is human…"

"Then save him"

"But how?"

"Use this." The blonde boy pointed to what a fuzzy pink floating robot spit out. Ichigo picked it up. It was a gold, chainless pendant with a pink heart on it. She looked at the monster then at Aoyama, then at the pendant, then back at Aoyama. The monster roared and lunged at Aoyama and Ichigo panicked and transformed. She was now dressed in a pink fluffy dress, dark pink boots and gloves, a bell and bow on a tail, cat ears, and the pendant on a choker band around her neck.

"What is with these clothes!?" she stood curiously wagging her cat tail and flicking her ears.

"Fight him!"

"How?!" she felt the words come from inside her. "STRAWBERRY BELL!" she called.

She used it as a shield from the monster's attack. Then she dodged and ran up to the café and jumped onto the railing of the balcony. "I will not let you hurt Aoyama-kun!" _Even if he is a jerk!_

She held out her weapon to the monster. "With this heart I will protect the earth and the love in girl's hearts everywhere~NYA!"

"A speech is uncalled for." The blonde called.

"Uh, right!" Ichigo listened to the words she felt she heard inside of her. "RIBBON STRAWBERRY CHECK!!" she launched her attack and separated an alien jellyfish-like probe-thingy from a rat.

"Kaishu!" The pink robot collected or ATE the probe.

"That's all it was?" Ichigo landed on the ground. "A rat? What was that thing anyway? Explain youself!"

Inside the café, Ichigo remembered what had happened after the fight. The blonde was identified as Shirogane Ryou and the man with long brunette hair who came out shortly afterward, was called Akasaka Keiichiro. Aoyama was sent home safely, and now she was given a CUTE waitress uniform and forced to work "undercover" in the café as a waitress and look for her four other companions for this apparent "Mew Project," and fight off ALIENS! "And I have this mark on my thigh! Shirogane said that it will disappear when this is all over. And who knows when that will be! He is so rude! Is it weren't for the gentleman-like kindness of Akasaka-san then I would have never agreed to this! But unfourtunately…" Ichigo went throught the doors of the kitchen to the café room to serve the next table. "…I did."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Unbelievable." She sighed as she laid on her bed. "I have two more companions to find but I don't think things will be ending too soon. At least I get help now from Lettuce, unlike that bossy Mint…and I do get paid—at all. I guess I'm going to have to get used to things the way they are for now; and complaining won't do anything, but make m ethink about it more—no wonder my head hurts. _Sigh_. This is getting to be something else." Ichigo turned on her pillow and drifted off.

The next day on the way to school the pink robot that she named Masha alerted her of an alien.

"Alien? What are you talking about now? The last time you said that, there wasn't one. Are you broken? Because I don't see one now—"

"Up here!" Came a voice from somewhere.

She looked around.

"I came to see what obstacle stood in the way of our plans, but I'm pretty fond of you." Said a figure sitting on top of a building.

She turned around and looked up to see an alien with big pointy ears, green hair styled in pigtails in front of his ears, yellow eyes, pointy teeth, and a mischievous grin on his face, jump down from the building and kiss her.

"My name is Kisshu." He said when he broke the kiss "Thanks for the kiss." He licked his lips. "I'll be seeing you." He flew away and teleported.

Ichigo stood there, her face red. "My-my first kiss…!"

" Ichigo?" Masha floated staring at her.

"That horrable…thing! STOLE MY FIRST KISS!!!"

"You mean you've had boyfriends, but you still had your fisrt kiss?" Masha asked confused.

"Yeah, somehow— wait what do you know about this stuff anyway?" Ichigo sighed. "Things were just going great, and now I have to worry about some alien guy too? Like I didn't have enough boy problems to deal with now! Why couldn't it be a girl alien!?" _Aoyama is cute, but he is a female chasing jerk! This guy STOLE my first kiss before I even met him. Even aliens are jerks!! Geez!_

By now Ichigo was yanking at her hair as she stomped her way to school.

" Can't stop thinking about it… That alien just ruined my whole day!"

"Ichigo? Are you okay?" Asked Miwa

"Yeah you're all red." Agreed Moe.

"Huh? Uh! No, I'm fine! Really I am! Ha ha ha ha! She faked a laugh.

"Hey! There is Aoyama-kun!" Miwa pointed out.

Ichigo looked up. "What do I want with that jerk?"

Moe shrugged. "Maybe the whole thing was a misunderstanding. Don't you think you could at least talk to him?"

"Mmm…Fine." Ichigo started walking over to him just to see him walking over to her.

"Good morning Aoyama-kun." All three of the girls said.

"Good morning" he replied. "Ichigo, can I talk to you later?"

"Uh yeah sure…" Ichigo answered. _Oh no! Why did I have to let them talk me into talking to him!_

For the rest of that day Ichigo avoided him.

When the bell rang for class to be over Ichigo stayed behind.

"I haven't followed a single thing the teacher has said. I can't stop thinking about what had happened." She started to bang her fists on the desk. "UGH! I have to stop letting myself get attached to boys so easily! And I bet Aoyama wants to apologize. Still I wonder… I hope that I can get home before he finds me."

"Momoiya-san?" Aoyama walked into the classroom. I was looking all over for you.

_Why did he have to find me!? No fair! Man! He's coming this way! Oh what did you expect? I should just bolt for the door right now!_

"Oh you were weren't you? Well, here I am haha…" _stupid stupid stupid why do I still find my self trying to impress him?_

"I wanted to apologize for the way I behaved the last time I apologized and at the park. Please give me another chance. I will not mess up this time."

"Ok?" Ichigo was wondering if she should really give him another chance.

"Thank you. Here. This is a ticket to an Animal Contact Time at the amusement Park; since you like animals and all, I was hoping we could go together…"

"Ok?" Ichigo repeated. Well, he apologized as expected. _I guess I didn't see this coming. Why did I even agree! Oh well, I guess I can give him another chance…_

"That's great! I'll see you then!" he ran out of the room.

Ichigo stood dumbfounded. When all sense came back to her she jumped up and down.

"I shouldn't let him get to me, but I can't help it! I'm too giddy to scold myself." Then she thought of Kisshu. "NYAU!" She stopped "Well, maybe this will make me forget." She shrugged and went out of the classroom.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Usually I'm the late one." Ichigo looked at her watch again and sighed. "Ah! There he is!" She straightened up. "Aoyama-kun!"

"Hi! Ready?" he said as he walked up to her.

"Yeah!"_ I just have to forget about that alien for now. Maybe I won't even see him again!_

"I guess we got here a little early, huh?" Aoyama said. "Maybe we should look around before it is time."

"I guess," _I feel like I'm being watched…_

She looked around and up.

"What are you doing?" Aoyama saw her looking around.

"Uh, ha ha ha ha ha!" She rubbed the back of her head and backed up. "I'm, uh, just looking around, ya know, about what to do! Everything is so inertesting! HEE!"

"Um, alright then where do you want to go?"

The haunted house! She slapped her hand to her mouth really quickly.

"Ok. If that is what you really want." He headed for the scary looking tunnel.

"Wait no! That's not what I want!"

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

_Ok, I don't know what is scarier, walking through this scary tunnel or walking through it with him. And by him I mean ALONE! HE TOTALLY LEFT ME BEHIND! What a jerk! I mean, sure, he isn't talking to other girls, but that isn't the only problem now. I knew I should have said no. I'm done with this! Before I even get my heart set by accident I'm going to—WHAH! Hah hah….Scary… I'm going to drop it! Maybe I just need to leave boys alone for a good while…_

She walked and walked until she reached the ending. "I'm stronger than he thinks!" she said triumphantly. "What's going on out here? The animals are going crazy!"

"Momoiya-san! There you are!" Aoyama said as he came out of the tunnel.

"HEY! YOU LEFT ME BEHIND!" she yelled at him.

"What's going on?" he ignored her yelling.

"ARE YOU LISTENING!?"

"ALIEN! Masha exclaimed"

Huh? She looked up and saw that alien, Kisshu sitting on a building.

"Naughty, naughty, Kitty; you shouldn't go on dates with other guys if you're already mine." Kisshu said to himself.

"Momoiya-san, we should run!" He grabbed her hand and ran.

As they were running, Ichigo saw him put on his smooth face, then watched as he said to the girl next to them "call me sometime?" and he handed her a card. _Wait, he has cards made with his phone number on it?! And while we're running?! And what he thought I wouldn't notice or he just couldn't pass up this "chance?!" _

Ichigo stopped running. _I have to go anyway. This is an alien attack. _She sighed and yanked away her hand.

"What are you doing?" he asked "We have to get away!"

"I'm not going anywhere with you! You're outrageous!" Ichigo ducked through the crowd and ran off into the brush, ignoring the calls of Aoyama. "That jerk! I'm never going anywhere with him again!"

"It looks like we meet again, huh? It must be fate!" Kisshu said from behind her.

"HAH!" She screamed. He had her backed up against a tree. "It's you!"

"What are you doing with that kid? It doesn't seem like you like him too much." Kisshu asked.

"I don't! He is rude, flirty, a jerk, and….it's none of you business anyway! What do you want?"

"Who me? Another kiss! You're cute, you know that?"

"Of course I know that! I'm just tired of idiots like you!"

"I could do better for you."

"How? You are a idiot too! You stole my first kiss and I didn't even know you!"

"I'll show you if you allow me." He held her chin for her to look at him.

She closed her eyes and smirked as if to say 'yeah right!' "I'm done giving chances! Besides you're the enemy!" she opened her eyes and glared.

"Don't worry, I won't let you down. I'm different."

"I can see that!"

"That's not funny!" even though he was laughing himself.

"Yes it is!" she smiled, but then glared when blasted back to reality.

"I'm gonna make you mine eventually!"

"IN YOUR DREAMS! Nothing you do will get back that kiss that I have been working so hard to save. You ruined it just like that!

"A lost first kiss doesn't mean that you won't be happy." He leaned in closer. "How about another one to make up for it?"

"NO!" she tried to kick him, but he dodged just in time and flew up. Ichigo ran away while she could.

"Look alien—"

"My name is Kisshu."

"—Kisshu, you can't…huh?

Kisshu threw something that looked like a bobbing jellyfish…alien DNA! Like the ones that Masha collected when she beat those chimera animals.

"What are you doing!?" She pointed to Kisshu. "You just turned that poor lion cub into a chimera animal!"

"I know!" he replied.

"Why you…!" she turned around and got out her pendant, but the animal hit her before she could kiss it. Before she could move, the lion have her pinned face down.

"So you are just a human without transformation? No fun." Kisshu sat in front of her and held her chin.

Ichigo looked up. "I hate you!"

"Don't say that, Kitty. I'm only doing my job. I'm assigned these tasks ya know?" His eyes twinkled with mischief. "Besides, this gives us excuses to meet again and again."

"Who wants to meet you again and again?! And quit calling me 'Kitty'!"

"Well, as much as I would love to play, I have a job to do. Bye bye, neko-mimi-chan."

"Hold it right there!" came another voice from somewhere. "RIBBON, MINTO-ECHO!"

Both Kisshu and the cat jumpped away before the arrow hit the ground.

Ichigo ran over to her friend. "Mint! Lettuce! How did you find me?"

The green Mew ran over to where the other girls were. "Shirogane-san sent us over here to check on you."

"I saw that ticket you were staring at. But more importantly, who is that?"

"That is an alien named Kisshu. He is the one who makes chirema animals out of real animals!" Ichigo pointed to the chirema animal lion. " That's supposed to be a lion cub. We have to save it!"

Th e lion lunged at the girls under Kisshu's orders.

"AAHH!" all three went up into the air. "He's toying with us!" Lettuce screamed.

Ichigo landed. "Kisshu! For hurting innocent animals and disturbing people, I will not forgive you! For the future of the earth I will be of service ~nya!"

"LETTUCE CASTINETS!" "MINT ARROW!" "STRAWBERRY BELL!" they go tout their weapons.

"LETTUCE RUSH!" "MINT ECHO!" "STRAWBERRY CHECK!" they all aimed at the chirema animal and it turned back into a lion cub. "Kaishu!" Masha collected.

"YAY! We did it!" they cheered together.

"So you did." Kisshu crossed his arms. "Well I guess I'm done for the day. I'm be going now.

"Good! You should stay!" Ichigo yell ed at him.

"You'll see!" Kisshu smirked and disappeared.

"Uh, Ichigo, where is Aoyama?" Lettuce asked.

"Ugh! I ditched him. He is annoying!"

They stared at her.

Ichigo sighed. "I guess I should find him, huh?" she walked off.

She found him by the ferris wheel. "Aoyama-kun! I'm over here!"

"Where were you?! I looked all over! "

"I can't go out with you anymore. It's just not going to work." Ichigo looked at her feet. "I'm sorry. We should go home now." She bowed then ran up to the gate and walked home alone.

Nnbnbnnnnbnnnnbnbnnbnbnbnbnnbnbnbnnbihihnnini

She laid in her bed thinking about the day. _I guess I handled that well._ _I was the one to walk away this time, even thought we weren't officially dating. But I can't help but get the feeling that I was being watched as I was going home. It's like someone was following me. Oh well. I guess I'm just tired. _She rolled over and fell asleep.

**A/N: The story will get better and sound differentas I go along. I just have to break in with the first few episodes as chapters. I'm not doing all of the episodes as you can see… I mean read…^^**


	3. Chapter 3: The Stalker

CHAPTER 3: The Stalker

Ichigo stretched. "Aaah, it feels good to be in the warm sunlight again."

"Ichigo! Hurry!" Ichigo turned and saw Miwa running towards her. " Do you want to be late for class!?"

The bell rang.

They both looked at each other and ran.

Class had already started by the time they reached the classroom.

"What happened?" Moe asked when the class was assigned group work. "Didn't you hear the bell ring?"

"Yeah, we were just kind of far away from the classroom." Miwa answered. I was talking to that cute new kid and kind of lost track of time." She turned to Ichigo. "What were you doing?"

"Huh, me? Well I was, uh…well, ok I think I'm being watched, but I don't know who it is yet."

"What?!" Both girls said together. What happened?!"

"Actually it happened after lunch…" Ichigo recalled the events after lunch.

_FLASHBACK:_

Ichigo finshed her lunch early. "Guys," she said to Miwa and Moe, "I'm going to head back now. I, uh, have stuff to do." The girls replied with an okay, and Ichigo left the cafeteria. She ran out, leaned against the doors, and slid to the floor.

"I just had to leave! I couldn't take it anymore! Someone really is following me! I'm not just paranoid! Ok, ok calm down! This started….ever since that day at the amusement park!" she sat there on the floor thinking for a bit, then she gasped. "It had better not be that alien! If he's following me, the next time I see him, he is not going to want to come back! Huh?" she looked both ways down the hallway. She exhaled. "Good; no one heard me. I'm not crazy after all—

Momomiya-san?

NYAAAAAU!!

Aoyama came out of the door to the cafeteria.

Ichigo's hair stood on end. "Um, hi!" she got up and brushed herself off. She bowed and walked away.

"That was creepy! He frightened me." Ichigo said to herself. She heard footsteps behind her, but when she looked no one was there. She walked faster and heard the footsteps speed up. She turned a corner and stood against the wall waiting…nothing. She peeked around the corner and saw a shadow run to hide. Then she dashed off to the other side of the hallway. She heard the footsteps run after her. She opened the first door she saw and hid. Once inside, Ichigo cracked the door a bit to see who the person…or alien was. When she was a figure dash by, she panicked and closed the door. She waited a little then turned on the lights in the room and looked around. There was a mop and cart in one corner, a broom in another. There were shelves full of towels, rags, sponges, soaps, toilet paper, detergents, and all kinds of things of use to a janitor. "Man it is really cold in here." She said to herself as she shivered. She brought her hands up to her arms and started moving them up and down in an attempt to warm herself up. She turned around to open the door, but slipped on something. She fell to the floor knocking over somethings on the shelves and making a lot of noise in the process. She heard footsteps head for the closet door. She shut her eyes tight. _What am I doing? I'm a mew mew! _She thought to herself.

She got to her feet just when the bell rang to let out lunch. The foot steps ran away. _Well, that was obviously not Kisshu…he would be flying. But then who would it be?_

Ichigo twisted the door handle, but it didn't open. "Don't tell me it locks from the outside!"

She jiggled it harder then started banging on the door and yelling.

Finally after a minute or two, she gave up. She slide down the side of the door. What was she going to do? Class would start in a few minutes and if the janitor doesn't come soon she would be in big trouble. She saw the stuff on the floor and around her. Maybe those could help. She looked for anything that could unlock a door. Nothing really. She could always knock it down, but what if someone saw her? Oh well. She shrugged. It would be better than being stuck in here. She kicked at the door. If she transformed, then Ryou would track the signal and think something is wrong, so she kicked. The door flew open eventually, but her feet felt numb. "Why is is so freezing in there?" she turned off the lights and closed the door, then dashed outside to the next building.

END FLASHBACK:

"…then that is where Miwa found me and we dashed to class."

"How troublesome." Moe said.

"Yeah, but the person who is following you has to have been at the park and at school." Miwa said.

"I know," Ichigo groaned.

.

"So you work here?" Aoyama said as Ichigo tried to walk away from him.

" Will you leave me alone?!" she finally stopped and said.

Ayoama stopped and watched as Ichigo walked away from Café Mew Mew. Once she was a safe distance, he followed her, carefully staying out of her sight whenever she turned around.

Ichigo didn't know why, but, even in the sunlight, she felt cold, like she did in that janitor's closet. She started to shiver. On impulse she spun around. Is her stalker following her again?

She ran. Then, in the midst of all of the other people and footsteps, she heard those distinct footsteps following her again. She ran faster and made a turn in an ally. Hiding behind a box she waited for someone to run by. She only saw people and … Aoyama?! He just walked by after looking around.

Ichigo thought for a minute. "Nah, it couldn't be him…could it?" she shrugged it off and jumped over the fence in the ally, not wanting to risk being caught in the stalker's sight again.

Atichigo'shouseatichigo'shouse

Ichigo plopped down on her bed. That was crazy! She stared at the ceiling.

Then something—make that someone— materialized in her room. "Hi, Kitty!" It was Kisshu.

"Kisshu!?" Ichigo jumped to her feet. "I'm not in the mood right now! What do you want? Why are you in my room? Get out!"

"I'm not here to fight. I just want to play!"

"Go away!"

"What's the matter, Kitty? You look worried." Kisshu came closer.

"I'm fine, now leave me alone!"

"Ok, ok. I'll go, but you have to come with me." He grabbed her wrist.

"NO WAY!" she yanked her wrist out of his grasp.

"Are you upset?"

"I'll be better when you leave."

"That's too bad, I have nothing to do today."

"Then why did you come here?"

"To visit you."

"I don't have to time to deal with you today."

"Fine, then meet me at the park by Café Mew Mew later.

"Do you not get it? I don't even want to talk to my best friends right now. What makes you think I want to see you?! I'm not going! "

"Just do it."

Ichigo slapped her forehead. "Why should I?" she sighed.

" You still won't give me a chance?" he said playfully.

"Nope. I'm done with chances. You're not even getting _one_."

"That's not fair."

"You're annoying and STILL IN MY ROOM!"

"Ok, Kitty. I'll wait for you for thirty minutes."

"Who says I'm going!?"

"See ya then."

"Are you even listening to me?!"

"Nope."

Ichigo threw the first thing in her reach at Kisshu, but he disapeared.

"I am NOT going!" she yelled at the spot where he stood.

Blublubblublubblublublublublublublublub

"I don't even know why I'm going. I guess I'm a little curious about whay he wants me for."

She reached the park and looked around. _I must be out of my mind! What if it is a trap!? Where is he anyway?_

"Yo! Kitty!" Kisshu waved to her from a tree. "Yay! You came!"

Ichigo rolled her eyes and turned around. "Yeah, yeah so what do you want? If you want to tell me you surrender and you will stop attacking earth, then I'm glad I came."

"Nah, its nothing like that." Kisshu flew down from the tree and leaned against it.

Ichigo crossed her arms. "Then what _do_ you want anyway?"

"A chance."

"I'm leaving."

"Wait!"

"What?!"

"You look troubled—other than the fact I'm here. I'm gonna cheer you up!

"How? You'll only make it worse."

"Play with Kitty!" Kisshu said playfully.

Ichigo sighed impatiently. "Why do you even come to earth?"

"I told you, I have a free day, so I wanted to see you." He smiled at her.

"That's not what I mean. I mean why are you attacking us? We never did anything to you.?"

"I can't tell you that. Ask another question."

"You wanted a chance and now you won't tell me anything."

His expresson became horricficly serious as he walked over to Ichigo, his face becoming dangerously close.

"Do you think that I am going to give away our plans?" he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I wasn't asking that, but now that you mention that..."

"Alright. I'll answer a question if you answer a question."

"Ok, why do you pester me and attack earth?"

"I told you it's my job. And I don't pester you. I'm just fond of you. You just think it is annoying."

"So you know you're annoying?! What do you mean your job?"

"Hey, you don't get to ask all of the questions! It's my turn!"

Ichigo crossed her arms and shifted her weight. "What's your question?"

"Well, number one, is it normal for humans to follows other people around unnoticed?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Him." Kisshu pointed to a boy with dark hair, tanned skin, and brown eyes. He was hiding behind one of those blue public mailboxes looking right at Ichigo.

"Aoyama-kun!?"

"Yeah. Isn't that the guy you went out with that other day?"

"Uh-huh." she said staring back.

Aoyama ran away when he seemed to notice Ichigo was staring back.

"Why though?! Grr, I'm going to settle this once and for all the next time I see him.

And how did you know that he was stalking me? Were you stalking me too!?"

"NO! NO! NO! Nothing like that!" He held up his hands in defense. "I just saw him follow you over here, and hide watching you. That's all."

"I knew I felt like someone was following me. At first I thought it was you.

"Uh…yeah…haha… Kisshu grinned.

Ichigo narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll make him wish he never met me."

"Sure, you got it! I'll leave it to you."

"Ok, and I suppose you know how to get rid of a stalker?"

"Yeah, NO, but I can help."

"I don't think so. And what do you want to help me for? We are not allies!"

"I told you already that I like you."

"Well, I don't like you."

Kisshu stared at her.

"So I'm leaving now before anyone at Cafe Mew Mew sees me." She looked at the restaurant.

"Bye." she said firmly and left.

"Heh" Kisshu gave a mischievous grin and disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4: Party

Chapter 4: Party

"Let's do our best Ichigo-san!" Lettuce said as she and Ichigo swept the Cafe yard.

"At what, more chores? Shirogane always picks on me, but never Mint!" She looked inside to see Mint drinking her tea as usual.

The next day was the same as always, Ichigo gets to work late, she and Lettuce do all of the work, Ryou gives her more work than usual, and Ichigo complaining, but ends up losing the argument anyway. But the one thing particular about that day was…

"Um, hello? said a voice that spoke in English behind the girls.

They turned around. "I'm Mary McGwire." the lady said in English. "I'm looking for someone named Ryou Shirogane. Do you know where he is?"

Neither of the girls under stood her, other than catching Ryou's name, so they took her in to meet him.

The girls whispered to each other. "So she is the piano player for a special event?" Lettuce asked.

"Yes" Mint answered. "Akasaka-san and Shirogane-san are puttng together a party for us, and she will play the piano there."

"He's actually thowing a party for us?" Ichigo said a little too loudly.

Shirogane walked over to Ichigo and flicked her on the head. "What are you guys talking about?" he eyed them suspiciously.

"Why do you have to flick me?" the red head whined.

ookikoookikookikooikoooikpoooikooookioooki

"Hey Red." Shirogane called out to Ichigo. She was sitting on a bench staring at the sky.

"What?" Her face instantly became frustrated.

"Take this." He handed her a box. "It is your dress for the occasion." he turned around. "By the way, who was that boy watching you earlier this morning? He was hiding behind a tree in the park across from the Cafe. Didn't you notice?"

"Um, no..." Ichigo looked wide eyed at him. "I'll see about it later..." She got up and walked away.

atthepartyatthepartyattheparty

The girls showed up to the party in beautiful dresses. Ichigo's was strawberry pink and white. The back was longer than the front which stopped at above her knees. The long, pink part of her dress was wrapping the short, white part of it which had a golden-yellow hem, and they were both put together with a red belt that had a heart shapped buckle. Her hair was in two curly pigtails.

Lettuce was wearing a long white dress and her long, green, wavy hair was out and flowing.

Mint wore a short dress. The top was black, the skirt was white. Two red ribbons held the two buns in her hair. There were thick strands hanging from each.

Mint went ahead of the other two girls and started dancing.

"So proper." Lettuce said.

"She must be used to it." Ichigo said.

Then Shirogane walked in wearing a white suit and a snobby look on his face.

"Wow!" The girls awed. "You look great!"  
Akasaka stood next to him. "You too!" they said to him.

"How would you like to dance? he asked the girls.

"I don't know how!" Ichigo put up her hands.

"I'll teach you." Ryou pulled Ichigo onto the dance floor.

After they danced, Ichigo went out to the balcony to get a breath of fresh air.

ontheroofontheroofontheroofontheroofontheroof

Kisshu appeared in the top of the building. "There has got to be a pure soul here somewhere. Huh?" He looked down at the balcony below him and saw Ichigo. But below the balcony he saw a figure that looked like....that kid! ...Aoyama was it? He was looking at Ichigo again--

and I can see why...look at her! That dress makes her look prettier than usual. Very cute!

Kisshu shook his head. "I have to stay focused!" He sighed. "It's too bad..." he took out the alien DNA."...that this beautiful party is going to have to be crashed."

withichigowithichogowithichigo

Ichigo stood on the balcony. "For some reason I feel like someone is watching—'' Ichigo gasped as a shiver went down her spine.

Oh no! Not here! She looked around her, but she didn't see anything. "Ah, there is Miss Mary." Ichigo waved "Hey, Miss Mary!" Mary didn't her.

"What's up Kitty?" Kisshu yelled to her from the roof. Let's do something entertaining for the party!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

Kisshu aimed his hand at Mary and took out her pure spirit.

"What are you doing?!"

"When I combine this..." He held up the alien DNA. "And a pure human spirit..." He looked at the soul he just took. "...you get something like this...FUSION!"

The new alien he made was a piano playing, cheetah-like woman with an alarming voice.

"What do you think? Great, huh?" Kisshu looked up at the thing.

"NO! It is NOT great! Why are you doing this!?"

"I'm not on break today. So now we have to fight...well, you have to fight. GET HER!" He commanded the alien.

Masha appeared and dashed to get the others.

Ichigo jumped off of the balcony as the thing lunged at her. "Kisshu!" she growled.

"Ichigo!" he mocked her and grinned as her went to take Ichigo's place on the balcony.

"Ichigo-san!" Lettuce and Mint ran up to her.

"Look what that alien, Kisshu did to Mary! He took her spirit and used it to make an alien!

"Miss Mary?" Lettuce gasped.

"A human?" Mint turned back to face the monster. "We have to save her!"

They transformed. MEW MEW: MINT, LETTUCE, STRAWBERRY: METAMORPHASIS!!

"OOOH! Fun, fun, fun!" Kisshu stood on his hands in a criss-crossed position and clapped his feet together. "Crush them!" He said then continued clapping. The alien lunged at the girls. It was too fast for them. They had to keep dodging. No time for thinking.

"This is what my boss, Deep Blue, wants, so, don't take it personally." Kisshu said, a playful look about his face.

"Deep Blue!?" Ichigo turned to Kisshu.

"Bad move." Kisshu said in a sing song voice.

"Wha? NYAAAUN!" the cat woman hit Ichigo from behind. Ichigo landed with a thud near a group of trees and...feet? She looked up at...Aoyama-kun?

"AAAHAHHHHHH!!" She screamed.

Kisshu's laugh left his face and he stopped clapping.

"Ichigo!" The girls tried to run over to her, but were stopped by the alien's piano playing.

Kisshu teleported over to where Ichigo was.

"You're a..." Aoyama said. "...a...a..."

"A loser!" Kisshu knocked him out and laughed.

"Kisshu! Why..."

"I told you that I like you, even if we have to fight." he patted her head.

"...No! I mean...WHY DID YOU HIT HIM? YOU COULD HAVE HURT HIM!"

"I don't get it. Doesn't he bother you?"

"Yes, but I won't have you hurting ANY humans. Not even him!" she pointed at the boy on the ground. "Besides, you bother me and you come around anyway!

"Hmmmm, you're right! But it is too bad that I don't have to listen to you!"

"Ichigo!" The girls called for her help.

Ichigo ran over to her friends. "Strawberry Bell! RIBBON STRAWBERRY CHECK!"

The attack practically bounced off of the monster.

"Not working." Ryou said to Akasaka as they watched the fight from the balcony.

"It's too strong for them." He thought a bit."Keiichi, put Mary's recorded music on the speakers, full blast."

"Roger."

The music disturbed the alien giving Ichigo the opening she needed to beat it.

"RIBBON STRAWBERRY CHECK!"

"Kaishu!" Masha collected once the spirit separated from the DNA.

Ichigo brought back the soul to Mary, then turned to Kisshu, who was now floating above the balcony again. "Your plans won't succeed as long as we are around to stop you! I'll make sure of it."

"Oh well, there will be many more chances to play with Kitty later, right? I'll come back later, ok? Bye, Bye!" And with that, he disappeared.

Ichigo stared at the spot where Kisshu just was. "Kisshu..." she growled.

The Mews changed back and woke Miss Mary.

"Ichigo? Thank you." Mary held out her hand.

"Uh, no problem." Ichigo guess what she was saying by her actions. She smiled to show she was saying you're welcome.

"Let's go back inside and enjoy the party!" Mint ushered everyone.

They all went ahead of Ichigo. She went back to where Aoyama laid, knocked out cold.

"Hey," she patted his face to wake him up. "Wake up."

"Huh? What happened? Momomiya-san?"

"What are you doing here? You should go home if you want to sleep."

"I dreamed of something really weird."

_Good. He thinks it was a dream._ "Um, ok. But I think you should go home now."

"Right...bye" He got up and hesitantly left.

Ichigo waited until he was out of sight, then she ran back to the party...


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 part A:

_A few days later.._

Ichigo sighed as she walked into the café. Ever since they found Pudding, the place has been very noisy. But maybe a little fun too. Today was going to be a long day…

"Everyone!" Lettuce exclaimed. "Look! We have just won a trip to a hot spring!"

Ichigoshouseichigoshouse

"…And I need this, and this and…" Ichigo sang as she packed her bag. "We're going to a hot spring and its gonna be fun! La, la, la, la! We're going to a hot spring…"

"We are? That's great!" Kisshu said sitting on Ichigo's window sill.

"NyaU?" Ichigo turned around. "What are you doing here? Go away!" she threw her pillow at him. He caught it then went to float near Ichigo. "I would love to go to a hot spring with you Ichigo!" Kisshu grinned.

Ichigo crossed her arms. "Girls only."

"Awe, no fun…I'm going anyway." Kisshu looked out the window.

"No, you're not." She looked at him. "Are you on break again today?

"…"

Um, Kisshu are you listening?"

No. He was looking at something outside.

"What are you looking at?" Ichigo followed his gaze, but didn't see anything.

"I think I had better go with you unless you want that guy following you around." Kisshu pointed a finger to someone hiding behind a tree. Ichigo ran to the window and saw Aoyama looking at her. Ichigo's face turned blue as she sank to the floor out of his sight. Kisshu stared at her. "Yeah, I'm on break!" he smiled. Ichigo sweat-dropped since she couldn't fall over already being on the floor. "Do you really think that he'll follow me all the way over there?"

"Well, he did already follow you to the party to other day; and who knows how he knew where you were. Even if you have to take a train downtown, it is possible to find you."

"I can handle myself."

"I'm going anyway!"

"Just don't attack us… or even be seen."

"I can't help it if I have a mission."

Twoweekslatertwoweekslater

"This place is amazing!" Lettuce exclaimed as the girls walked into the hotel room. "Just like the brochure said!"

"Everything is comfortable!" Pudding yelled as she jumped up and down on the beds.

"Time to unwind." Mint stretched. "Ichigo, you start dinner. Lettuce, you paint my nails. Pudding! You will give me a massage.

"What! Isn't this EVERYONE'S vacation?" Ichigo argued.

"Well, I suppose we can take turns, but I'm going first."

"And wouldn't all of this be done by the employees that work here?"

"Yes, but you are all faster to get to and that makes it easier. Besides, I don't want a smelly maid whom I don't know in here all night!

"All night!"

"Could you at least help to set up the table and help bring in the food?"

"NO! And you girls stops being her maids!" Ichigo yelled at Pudding and Lettuce.

"But painting nails is fun!" Lettuce smiled.

"It's like a sleepover!" Pudding jumped around.

"You're missing out Ichigo." Mint fanned herself with her free hand.

"On WHAT?" Ichigo left the room and headed for the stream. "That Mint, always bossing people around." She grumbled to herself. "This time, it is my turn to relax." She took off her shoes and dipped her feet in the water.

There were footsteps coming from behind her. _I didin't know that there were other people around this spot._ Ichigo turned around. "A-Aoyama-kun?"

_How could he have come here? What does he want? Why does he keep following me? Why-_

"Why do you know my name? Well, actually it is Aoyama_da_, but you were close."

"Aoyamada? Oh! My mistake! I thought you were someone else! I'm Momoiya Ichigo!"

"Cute, it matches your hair, red like a strawberry."

Ichigo's face turned red. "Uh, yeah…ummmm." _This guy looks almost exactly like Aoyama! Even the names are similar. I didn't think that there could be such a thing. He only speaks a little different._ "Um, what are you doing here? I didn't see any other parties at the hot spring inn."

"I'm the son of the owner of the hot springs and inn."

"Oh."

"Well, see you around." The boy ran off. Ichigo stood with a red face. "…cute…?" Then she dropped herself into the water.

"Don't I always tell you that?" Ichigo noticed Kisshu sitting on a high branch in a tree. "You don't faint when I tell you that." Kisshu jumped from his spot and stood over Ichigo in the water. "Kisshu! What do you want now?" Ichigo got to her feet. "I said that I would come right?" Kisshu moved his face closer to hers. Ichigo looked away and pushed it back. "Oh well, I guess it can't be helped." She walked out of the water and headed back for the house. "Where are you going?" Kisshu whinned.

"To wasshh-uuuuhhh I mean to, uh, get away from you!" _Geez, with Mint and Kisshu it is annoying inside and outside! I hope Kisshu didn't hear what I almost said! That pervert might be found in the girl's washroom before I get there!_ Ichigo looked back to make sure he was still there. Kisshu waved to her when he saw that she looked back. She turned and ran away.

Inthetowninthetowninthetown

With nothing better to do, the girls went shopping. "I like this here!" "OOO! That would look SO great on you!" "Isn't this nice?" "I want something bright!" They chattered every time they passed by a clothes shop. After they were loaded with bags, they sat down at a cafe to eat.

"Why did it have to be a café? It only reminds me of work." Ichigo complained.

"It doesn't remind me of working." Mint put in. Everyone stared at her.

"I wonder why that is." Ichigo mumbled. "Hey! Where's Pudding?" They looked to see Pudding not in her seat, but on the street performing.

"More tips for Pudding! Yay!"

"Yay." The girls repeated sarcastically.

"I'm going to go wash my hands." Lettuce got up and went to the restroom.

"I'll check on what's keeping our orders so long. You don't even take an hour to serve people."

"At least I work!" Ichigo snapped.

"Just watch the bags."

"Hey! Ichigo!" a voice said from behind her. She turned around and smiled when she saw that kid she had met from before. He ran up to her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at the hot springs."

"Just shopping."

"Ah. Listen, I was wondering if you would want to go out some time."

"Sure!" She got out a pen and piece of paper and wrote down her number. "Here's my number." She handed it to him. "It's for my cell."

"Cool," he said. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay."

"Bye!"

She waved. Then she noticed Mint, Lettuce, and Pudding standing over her, staring mischievously down at her. "I-chi-go…!" They got closer. "Who was that…?"  
"Uh… just a…person."

They got even closer.

"Okay, okay. , eventhoughthatmakeshimnotcute,butthatisnothepoint!   
boyfriend!" she gasped after she finished.

They continued to stare, but this time, with confused looks.

"I mean, he seems nice and I want to get to know him better is all."

"Oh" they all said.

KisshuKisshuKisshu

Kisshu glared at that kid from the top of a building. "Just who does he think he is?" he said under his breath. He watched as Ichigo's friends silently interrogated her, then, he sighed and looked up at the sky. "I guess I have to get rid of him now. Heh-heh!" then he disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry for taking so long to update! My apology is on my profile page. Smiles!

**Chapter 6:**

After the date, Ichigo decided to join her friends in the hot spring…upon second thought they might want to know the details, so she avoided them for the rest of the night until they went to bed.

"Pudding! Don't jump around in a hot spring! You'll get water everywhere it isn't supposed to be! Are you listening to me!" Minted sighed as she got into the water.

"This is nice, huh?" Lettuce said to Ichigo.

"Uh, huh!" Ichigo smiled. _ And best of all, no Kisshu!_

"This is great!" Mint slid in next to the other two. "No work, no boys, and no chirema animals!"

"Don't jinx it!" Ichigo covered Mint's mouth. "PUDDING NA-NO-DA!" Pudding jumped into the water splashing it in all directions. No sooner than that happened, the floor started to vibrate and the earth beneath them shook.

"NOW LOOK!" Ichigo yelled.

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW?" Mint defended. Just then, a huge, green thing, broke through the rocks surrounding the hot spring and roared.

"OH NO! THE HOT SPRING!" Lettuce yelled.

"AWWE! WE ARE ON VACATION!" Pudding yelled.

"AGH! IT'S SO UGLY!" Mint screamed.

"Kisshuuuuu…!" Ichigo growled under her breath.

Then suddenly, Masha appeared out of nowhere. "Ichigo! Chirema animal!"

"Uh, thanks, but we kinda know that already!" everyone sweat dropped.

"~Chu~" Masha smiled cutely.

The girls transformed quickly and jumped over the rocks to lead the monster away from the hot springs. Now that Ichigo could see it up close, she could see that the face seemed like that of a dog with a brown dreadlock wig and a mask on top of its head. It had clawed, webbed feet and sharp teeth. She couldn't see it's back.

Kisshu appeared floating behind the dog-faced creature. "Hi, Ichigo!" he grinned.

"Don't you 'hi' me! I told you not to attack us! We are on vacation for crying out loud! Can't you postpone this?"

"Sorry Kitty, I have to follow orders! Besides, I thought it would be fun to play!"The other three eyed Ichigo. "Kitty?" "Orders?" "When did you tell him that?"

"Huh? Uh, a-and I told you not to call me Kitty!"

"Whatever you say Kitten!"

Ichigo sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

"Ok! Attack!" Kisshu commanded the monster.

The monster lunged for the girls, but Kisshu tackled Ichigo and pinned her to the ground.

"Ichigo!" other three screamed, but they were distracted by the chirema animal.

Ichigo struggled underneath Kisshu's weight. "What do you want?" she finally asked.

"You're pretty you know."

"Answer me!"

"Calm down. I just wanted to tell you that I captured that kid you were talking to earlier and used his spirit to make that chirema animal." He got up.

"And that is supposed to be a good thing? Where is his body?" Ichigo stood and brushed herself off.

"Over there." Kisshu pointed to a rock in the middle of a stream of rapids.

"Kisshu are you crazy?"

"Whaaaaat? He looks just lake that brat back in Tokyo."

"Except he isn't stalking me!"

"Ichigo!" Mint yelled. "What are you doing? We could use your—help you – you know!" she said as she was dodging attacks.

Ichigo looked at Kisshu again then dashed off to save Aoyamada.

"Where are you going?" Mint yelled.

Ichigo jumped on the rock and brought him to land. Kisshu stood in front of them. "Ya know, my missions aren't to let you guys win?"

"Yeah, that's why you always lose." She said sarcastically.

Kisshu grabbed for her, but she dodged him and ran over to where the others are fighting.

"See, we won again!" Ichigo rubbed in Kisshu's face. It was nighttime and the girls were relaxing back in the hot springs in. Aoyamada was safe. Ichigo was sitting outside in a hill's slope next to Kisshu eating sweets. She was dressed in a kimono.

"Yeah, yeah, you just got lucky. That monster isn't as strong as some of the others that I'll bring."

Ichigo stuffed food into his mouth. "Don't talk with your mouth full!" she laughed.

"Why are you being mad at me?"

"Do you want me to get mad?"

"NO! It's just that this isn't what I expected." After the girls won the fight, Kisshu decided to come back later that evening.

"After this, YOU'RE OUT OF CHANCES! So don't mess up this time."

"But I told you that I have to follow orders."

"I know, but how do you expect people on different sides to be friends?"

"It's possible."

"I must be desperate for love if I want to befriend you in anyway."

"HEY!"

"Hahaha, shut up, 'Ears'!" She Poked at his large, pointy ears.

"Red!" He referred to her red hair.

"Green!" She pulled at his green hair.

"You're friend has green hair."

"Yeah, but yours is a weird color green."

"What is that noise in the sky?"

"Fireworks. Aren't they pretty?"

"Compared to what?"

"…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Deepbluedeepbluedeepblue

"Kisshu…" Deep Blue wasn't too happy with him. "What have you been doing in your free-time?"

Kisshu didn't feel bold enough to lie so he told him. "I was just playing with a human girl." Then he realized how wrong that sounded.

"You play around too much. How can you spend time with an enemy? They could be trying to gain your friendship then turn on you. A trap. When you get some progress then you can play around. No more!"

"Yes, Deep Blue-sama."

!

The fifth member…

The newspaper holds a picture of what could be the final person in our group.

The last companion just might be that celebrity Fujiwara Zakuro—Mint's idol.

"She is not!" Mint protested.

"Is too!" Ichigo replied.

"Her figure fits the silhouette in this picture." Pudding concluded.

"It is possible." Lettuce agreed.

"Why don't you guys go audition and find out?" Ryou said. "She is a judge for the play she is going to be staring in."

Ichigo tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't sleep. Her mind kept drifting back to that night she and Kisshu sat together on the hill. They shared candy and were actually laughing together. Even after what had happened earlier. Even after— a lot of things. That's a crazy idea to date an alien. That's even funny. In fact it's stupid! But love is love right? Ichigo turned over and put her pillow on top of her head. Humph! Kisshu is annoying anyway!

"Ichigo! Emergency meeting! Fifth member in danger!" Masha yelled.

Ichigo sat straight up. "What?"

Meetingmeetingmeeting

The girls met at the cathedral that Ryou told them to go to.

"It looks creepy!" Lettuce shivered.

"We have to go anyway." Pudding started for the building. The other girls followed.

The Mews entered the cathedral and saw a person praying. The person stood up and—

"Agh!" crows broke through the windows and attacked the Mew Mews.

"Ah! I didn't think you would find this place!" Kisshu hovered over them, a giant crow on his arm. "Oh well. You guys party with the crows…I have work to do."

The birds knocked Ichigo to the floor. Kisshu teleported behind her. "Is it so fun that you can't move?"

"Shut up! This isn't a game! I was sleeping! Why do you have to attack in the night?" Ichigo yelled at him.

"I can attack whenever I want. If you're tired, then it is only to my advantage."

"What about the other night? Remember that? Your last chance?"

Kisshu was silent then he said, "What other night? I have plans to take over earth. I don't have time for your memories." Then Kisshu teleported back to the spot he was in before with the bird on his arm. He then announced that this was the funeral of the fifth member and ordered the small birds to kill her. That's when she transformed.

"MEW MEW ZAKURO! METAMORPHASIS!"

"So it really IS Zakuro-onee-sama!" Mint looked happy.

Zakuro used her weapon to turn all of the small birds back to normal. Ichigo looked at Kisshu with a smirk. Kisshu looked angry. If he saw Ichigo's smirk, he didn't show it. He sent the big bird after Zakuro.

RIBBON ZAKURO SPEAR! With one hit, the bird was back to normal.

Ichigo stepped forward. "What was that about bringing a stronger opponent, Kisshu?" she put a hand to her furry cat hear. Kisshu landed, glared, and left. "And I'm sick of seeing you, ya jerk!" She called after him. _That night must have been a spell. I hate him! Kisshu… _

Zakuro changed back and started to leave.

"Zakuro –onee-sama," Mint stepped forward, "you're the last member."

"No, sorry, I don't care to work with others."

"B-but, you are our friend. And we finally found you." Mint persisted.

"I already declined. Girls like you are annoying!" Without another word, she left.

Cafécafécafécafé .

"I couldn't sleep the rest of the night…" Ichigo dragged herself into the café.

"Me either." Pudding said.

"I think that it might have been the worst for Mint though," Lettuce looked to the table where Mint was sitting looking out the window.

"And that was her idol too." Ichigo looked sadly at Mint. "Even her eyes look out-of-it." The clock rang. "H-hey Mint, isn't it your tea-time?" Ichigo thought that that would probably cheer her up.

"Huh? Oh yeah…" was her reply. Then she picked up a vase and put it to her mouth.

"N-no Mint-onee-chan! That's not a teacup!" Pudding yelled before Mint could drink anything.

"Oh…so it's a vase." Mint stared blankly at the object. The others fell over.

After arguing with Ryou about it, Ichigo decided that she would go to Zakuro's autographing to talk to her, if not for the Mews then for Mint's sake. When that failed she tried to jump on her car form a highway bridge and that failed. "I won't be satisfied until I talk to her!" Ichigo declared as she sat atop a slide on a playground. "This is crazy! "

"Maybe she is an enemy!" Pudding announced.

"NO WAY!" Ichigo protested. "She is probably feeling lonely."

"How do you know?" Mint asked.

"Did you see her face and her eyes? They are the same as yours when we first met. I don't think that she is a bad person. We just can't give up. That's all." Ichigo slid down the slide. "So, everyone, let's go!"

Zakuro sat at the window and sighed.

"Is it always like this?" Kisshu stood in her studio. "Boring?"

"I can call for someone you know." Zakuro said to him.

"Go ahead. In fact, why not call for the mew mews?"

"I have no intention of working with others."

"I know. But if you work with me," Kisshu came closer, "You could take revenge on them."

"Revenge?"

"She should be in here." Mint said as they walked through the doors of the building.

"The place is empty!" Pudding looked around and saw no one there.

"This is our chance to get her alone!" Ichigo exclaimed. "Let's split up and find her!"

Mewmewmewmemwemwmewmemwemwmew

"Revenge?" Zakuro said.

"Yes." Kisshu moved his face closer to hers. "Revenge because they made your body into what it is now. They ruined your life. Wouldn't you want to return to normal?" He moved his face even closer. "I can turn you back to normal."

Just then, Mint, Lettuce, and pudding entered the room.

"O-onee-sama! Please tell me you're not working with him." Mint stuttered.

"Gotcha!" Kisshu blasted them with winds of sand.

Mewmewmewmewmewmewmew

Ichigo heard a noise from a room behind her. "Huh?" she turned around and ran to the doorway. "Kisshu—"

"And this is your punishment for being late!" Kisshu blasted her with sand as soon as he saw her, but that was a distraction. The sand started to swirl around Mint, Lettuce, and Pudding until it disappeared…along with the girls! All that was left was Lettuce's glasses that fell to the floor.

"Mint! Pudding! Lettuce!" Ichigo ran to the spot where the girls were just standing. Zakuro stood up.

"Kisshu what did you do?" Ichigo looked at him.

"What? I sent them somewhere else for the time being. Listen to me." He landed and stood in between the two girls. "The two of you, fight." He gestured to Zakuro and Ichigo with his hands. "And the winner works with me."

"What? That's not fair! Who wants to work with you! That's only for your benefit!"

"I'll return back the other three afterwards." Kisshu looked at Ichigo.

"N-no."

"Then I won't return the others." Then he looked to Zakuro. "And if you refuse, then you won't return to normal. Think about it carefully. Bye!" then he left.

"This has nothing to do with me." Zakuro headed towards the door.

"Wait!" Ichigo screamed. "Even if you don't join us,won't you help me save my friends?"

Zakuro remained silent.

"Mint idolizes you!"

"As I said before, this has nothing to do with me. I'm leaving." Zakuro said in a monotone voice, then she left.

"How could you?" Ichigo curled a fist to her chest and outstretched her other arm after the retreating figure. Then she dropped her arm and hung her head. "Kisshu…I hate you." She said to herself.

**A/N: Sorry, this chapter (and the last) is a little short. BUT I updated BOTH chapters in the same day! SO be happy! aNd sMilEs!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Mega Disclaimer: OK! Let's get something straight! I don't own "Tokyo Mew Mew" any of the characters, or the plot. I only own what I changed in the story. I'm basically rewriting the story of Tokyo Mew Mew based off of the anime (not the manga), but either changing or skipping episodes based on its relevance to the story and in Kichigo's favor. I hope that that clears up things. Thank you! **

**Chapter 8:**

Ichigo headed to the live TV broadcast that Shirogane and Akasaka-san sent her to, to talk to Zakuro. _I have too many problems! My friends are gone, There is a stalker following me, the fifth member won't join us, and this alien! None of this would have happened if I wasn't a Mew. Well then there is the stalking thing, but…at least I haven't seen him for a while! That's it! I can get Kisshu's good attention—wait he has no __**good**__ attention in the first place. But I mean I can get to talk to him if Aoyama is stalking me. How is that a good thing again? Oh yeah. Kisshu protects me from him and then I can get to talk to him! I don't even need to talk to him though, but still…_

Ichigo walked into the studio only to be stopped by a director.

"She is fine." Zakuro defended Ichigo. The director left."What did you come here for?"

"I came to ask for your help again. Please! My friends might not be able to come back without your help." Ichigo put Lettuce's glasses in Zakuro's hand.

"Zakuro, we're on!" Someone called. Zakuro just walked past her to the stage, Lettuce's glasses in hand. Ichigo shook her head and went to stand out of the way.

Mewmewmewmewmewmmewemwemwemw

Kisshu took the spirit of the director that stopped Ichigo earlier and fused it with one of his alien DNA probes.

"Alien! Alien! Ichigo!" Masha warned Ichigo. "Huh?" Ichigo looked around. "Where?" She turned around and saw a light that looked like it came from a transformation and ran toward it. It was out in the hall. When she reached the hallway, she saw Kisshu. _I don't need Aoyama after all. _

"Kisshu!" Ichigo squinted her eyes in the bright light, but she still couldn't really see anything. Then she felt hands grab her wrists and push her down. Soon she found herself pinned underneath Kisshu…again.

"Wha-what are you doing? I, uh, need to talk to you so get off!"

"Kitty needs to talk to _me_? That's unexpected. What?"

"Why did you suddenly change? You said you don't remember the other night? And you haven't come back for free days."

"So you miss my attention?"

"That's, um….j-just answer my question!"

"My boss told me that I have too much free time, so I'm focusing on work. I remember the other day, I was lying back at the cathedral. But I still am out to take over earth. And I won't kill you Ichigo, because you are important to me."

Ichigo's face went pink. "W-what if Aoyama shows up again even if I can handle myself?"

"Don't worry, I'll visit you again later, but for now I have a mission."

"Right! GIMMIE BACK MY FRIENDS!"

"Join me and I will."

"No way you liar."

"Suit yourself then." He smiled at her.

Ichigo started struggling to get free.

"No use. I'm stronger that you. You can't do anything with your normal power." The chirema animal Kisshu made came out from where it was hiding. "Now" Kisshu commanded it, "go kill Zakuro!"

"NO! Kisshu!" Ichigo stuggled and twisted even more. When she heard the noise coming from the studio, she finally kneed Kisshu in the stomach, and got away._ If that is his week point, then why does he keep it open?_ Ichigo quickly transformed and got in between Zakuro and the creature. The creature that looked like a snake lunged for Ichigo and wrapped her in a coil.

"Zakuro-san…please run…" the snake was squeezing the air out of her.

"Why are you...?" Zakuro asked, her eyes wide.

"Because you are a friend…" Ichigo nearly passed out.

"PUT HER DOWN AND KILL ZAKURO NOW!" Kisshu yelled at the snake-woman. The creature obeyed and Zakuro fled.

Kisshu teleported to where Ichigo was on the floor. "Are you ok?" He looked at her. "How can she be your friend if she ran away?"

Ichigo looked down. "I told her to run."

"If things keep going on like this, you just might die."

"I thought you said…"

"Don't worry though, I won't let that happen." He patted her head.

She moved her head away and called for her strawberry bell. "My powers aren't gathering."

"That's because you're away from your friends." Kisshu smirked.

"Shut up!" she threw her weapon at his head.

"OW!" He fell over.

Suddenly, the snake-woman lunged for Ichigo. "Wait! Garara!" Kisshu called the thing by its name, but it didn't listen. "Ichigo, move!"

"I…can't dodge…it." _ Too weak to move…_

Kisshu gritted his teeth, and just as the thing was about to strike, Kisshu teleported in front of Ichigo.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

Kisshu gritted his teeth, and just as the thing was about to strike, Kisshu teleported in front of Ichigo.

The snake hit him instead. "Kisshu!" Ichigo screamed with all of the energy she had left. Then she dropped to the floor.

Just then Mew Zakuro came back with Mew Mint, Mew Pudding, and Mew Lettuce. "Everyone!" Ichigo smiled. "Zakuro-san, thank you!

"Mew Ichigo! Are you ok?" Lettuce asked. Zakuro stood in front of everyone.

Kisshu got up. "How did they get out?" He mumbled to himself. Right then, all of the girls launched their attacks at the monster.

RIBBON MINT ECHO!

RIBBON LETTUCE RUCH!

RIBBON PUDDING RING INFERNO!

But it didn't work. Then they all felt as if all their weapons were super charged. Was it because they were all together now? They tried once more.

RIBBON MINT ECHO!

RIBBON LETTUCE RUCH!

RIBBON PUDDING RING INFERNO!

RIBBON ZAKURO SPEAR!

RIBBON STRABERRY CHECK!

The snake creature was defeated and the spirit was separated from the DNA.

"Amazing!" Kisshu laughed to himself and disappeared.

"WE DID IT NA NO DA!" Pudding cheered.

"What about the broadcast?" a cameraman said from behind.

"Everyone froze. I forgot that there were people in here!" Ichigo said through a closed jaw.

"Zakuro-onee-sama…" Mint looked at Zakuro.

"I'm not that into being friends, but I guess it would be ok for now."

Pudding and Ichigo started hugging her. "YAY!" "This is great!"

The crewmen continued to broadcast. So the girls did their thing.

"We five are Tokyo Mew Mew! For the future of the earth we will be of service ~nya!"

Atichigo'shouseatichigo'shouseatIchigo'shouse

Ichigo stared out the window of her bedroom.

"Boo!" Kisshu popped up outside her window.

"NYAU!" Ichigo jumped back and landed on her rear. "D-don't DO that!"

Kisshu laughed as he entered her room.

"K-Kisshu…"

He stared smiling at her. "Yeeees?"

"Thank you for, um, taking the hit for me earlier."

"No problem, Kitten." He went to stand in front of her. "Do you want to repay me?" he cupped her chin in his fingers.

"Not like that!"

"What?" He put his hands on his hips. "I said I would be better than that human boy, right?"

"At what?"

Kisshu slapped his hand to his forehead. "T-that's not what I—"

Ichigo started laughing and cut him off. He started to laugh too.

"So we beat another of your monsters again." She said when she caught her breath.

"So what? Next time, it is going to be different."

"You keep telling yourself that."

"Won't you even consider joining me?"

"No. Not ever. I thought you were on break."

"It's not like I can't look for opportunities."

"I thought you were banned from taking breaks."

"I know how to sneak out."

"And get in trouble." Ichigo thought for a moment. "Why did you protect me, even when we are on different sides?"

"I told you that you are important to me."

"But why?"

"Why not?"

"You're not just trying to get on my good side, and then just use me in the end aren't you?"

"No. Are you?"

"No. Actually it never occurred to me that I could do that until now. But why would I? You're the one who is trying force your friendship on me in the first place!" _But if I did befriend him, then maybe he will go easier on us in battle; maybe I should go along with this._

"Then we have nothing to worry about." He held out his hand. "Let's get along."

"As well as enemies can." She shook his hand, but then he pulled her closer to him.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you this." He opened his other hand to reveal a small device in the shape of a strawberry.

"What is it?" She took it from his hand.

"Use it to call me if you need to. Just push the button."

"Uh, ok. Thanks, I guess."

"Bye, then." He stepped back and left.

Ichigo decided to turn it into a key chain…but she would do it tomorrow. She yawned and jumped into bed, and dreamed about her true love…whoever he is…


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

"SEE YOU TOMORROW! BYE!" Ichigo waved bye to her friends. She turned and walked down the sidewalk to go home. She looked at the device that Kisshu gave to her. It was now a key chain she always kept on her. For some reason her heart felt a little fluttery when she held it. She couldn't decide if she really was going to use Kisshu to the Mew Mew's advantage. Lost in thought, she didn't notice the person she was about to bump into, until she bumped into them.

"Ow! Oh, I'm sorry!" She looked up. "Aoyama-kun!" _ Oh yeah, I haven't seen him in a while._

"Momoiya-san. How have you been?"

"Just fine, thank you very much. Excuse me." She started to walk off without another word. Moments after she left, she felt like she was being followed. She turned around. "Aoyama-kun?" She called his name, but she didn't see him behind her and he didn't answer. She started walking faster. She turned a corner and waited. Nothing. She exhaled and looked around to see where she was. How did she get to the edge of town? Oh well. She might as well take a walk. The place was nice and quiet. It was like a forest with a path. No one was around though, so it wasn't much of a park. For once she could relax without any noise. "Wow!" she came upon a clearing. A big sakura tree stood in the middle of the meadow. "Pretty…" she heard a cicada. "Reet, reet, reet."

She went up to the tree, when a person stepped out from behind it.

Cafécafécafécafécafécafécafé

"YAY! We get to celebrate!" Pudding yelled after the shop finally closed for the day.

"What are we celebrating?" Lettuce asked.

"That we are all finally together!" Mint said looked admiringly at Zakuro.

"Cute! We are on the cake!" Ichigo looked at the little figures that stood on the cake. "Itadakimasu!"

"Wait a moment." Shirogane interrupted Ichigo's "dig-in" and ordered the girls to come around to the back. There, he explained the mission and that there were five certain points where the enemy was setting up attacks. "The base of the attack is…" he pointed to the middle. "This sakura tree."

"I know that place!" Ichigo raised her hand.

"Then you go. You all choose which place to go to." He sighed. "You girls have a name now…" he put his hand up. "Tokyo Mew Mew, move out!"

"Wait a minute!" Ichigo interrupted. "What about the cake and the party?"

"You can eat and party later after you defeat the aliens."

"Do we never get a break?

Akasaka intervened. "The attack doesn't start until later."

"Fine," Ryou finally agreed "take a small break, but be done early so we can get a head start."

IchigoIchigoIchigo

Ichigo stood in the grass by the hedge in the front of the café, remembering what happened by the tree.

FLASHBACK

As Ichigo approached the sakura tree, a person came around from the other side.

"A-AAH!" Ichigo jumped backwards and landed on her rear again. "A-Aoyama-kun! What are you doing here?"

"Just looking at a pretty tree. What are you doing here?"

"Just leaving." Ichigo turned to run. Which path did she come from again? Didn't matter. She chose a random one and followed it. She didn't know at what point she had turned onto a different path, but she somehow was lead back to the same clearing.

"Back so soon?" Aoyama looked at her while standing at the base of the tree.

"N-no, I just, uh…"

He came closer. She backed up. Then almost simultaneously, they both ran. Ichigo got as far as the forest before he caught up to her. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. "Ah! What are you doing? Let go!" She tried to yank her wrist back.

"What's the hurry? I just want to talk." He held her wrist tighter. She looked at him, a look of fear on her face. She tried to cover it with anger. "What do you want? I have to go now!" she growled at him.

"Calm down. We can't just talk? Where do you have to go so quickly?"

"Work!" she slapped her hand to her mouth.

"Work, huh? Where do you work?"

"Like you don't know!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Just leave me alone! I don't want to be late!" she turned to run, but his grip held her back. She quickly reached for her "Kisshu caller" and pressed the button. Nothing. She tried running again. Suddenly, his grip loosed and she fell forward. She looked back to see Aoyama out cold o the ground and Kisshu standing behind him, his hand up. He reached his hand out to Ichigo. "Bet you thought you would never need it, huh?" he said.

She slapped his hand away. "Why did you knock him out! What did you do?"

"You're welcome." Kisshu crossed his arms.

"Sorry… thanks. But we have to get him back to his house…and I don't know where that is!"

"Just leave him here."

"No! Uh…here…help me out." Kisshu helped Ichigo lug him to the base of the sakura tree, and propped him up against the trunk. Ichigo looked at her watch. "Ah! I have to go!" she ran back towards the forest. "Bye!" she waved to Kisshu.

"Uh-huh." Kisshu replied, his back to her. He stared at the tree, hands in hips. Ichigo shrugged and ran back to the café.

END FLASHBACK

"Ichigo! Did you finish you cake?" Mint went to stand by her.

Ichigo looked at her plate. The cake was half eaten. "Is there something wrong? You always finish your cake." Mint asked her.

"Ah, no! I'm fine! It's just… nothing ! Really! See?" she stuffed the whole thing in her mouth. "Iwm weewee jwust fwoine!" she spoke with her mouth full. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"O-ok." Mint walked off. "Hurry up. Shirogane-san wants us to leave now."

She made a big swallow before replying. "Hai!"

Ichigo ran through the forest she discovered earlier that day. _Kisshu must have decided his plan earlier today when he…saved…me. Grrrr._ Ichigo knew it was the truth, but she didn't like to think about it. There were just too many things wrong with KISSHU being the one to save her. He was an alien trying to take back earth. The enemy. Besides, it's not like she can't take care of herself; although what happened earlier proved no such thing. And it's just too weird. That fluttery feeling came back again. Why does this feeling come when she thinks about him? It couldn't be that she likes him. He is an ALIEN for crying out loud. She shook her head as if that would get the thoughts out. _The tree must have been what was distracting him earlier when I was saying bye. Why that no good…_

She came upon the clearing. The tree was in sight. Aoyama was gone. _He must have gone home_.

Instead standing at the base of the tree was…

"Kisshu!" Ichigo said as she reached the clearing. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Ichigo!" he turned around to face her. "Meeting here again in the same day? That must mean something."

"Shut up! I have to get to that tree, so move!"

"I can't let you do that. You see, Tokyo is going to die today. So unless you want to die, I need you to come with me." He teleported in front of her and lunged. She jumped back. Then behind her. "Gotcha!"

In attempt o knock her out, he hit her. "Agh!" she landed on her feet. In front of her again, he attempted another hit. But this time she was too quick. She hit him on the side of the face. He was thrust backwards in the air, as he was flying. "Ha ha ha! Wow! You actually hit me when I was being serious!" the marks on his face, were that of claw marks like a cat scratched his face. "Come on, Ichigo! Let's go together!"

Ichigo stood panting. "You already know my answer."

Then suddenly, a green rush of light went up in the air. That's when Ichigo noticed the blue light, the yellow light, and the purple light in the air on the other sides of town, indicating that the other Mews have reached their destinations.

Ichigo breathed, then turned around to face the tree.

"Ichigo?"

"I have a mission to protect earth."

"Ichigo! That's dangerous! The tree's petals will only destroy what it touches. Kisshu warned her.

She ignored him and called her weapon. "Strawberry bell." She grabbed it and ran towards the tree.

"Ichigho stop!"

She powered up her bell and jumped.

"Ichigo no! I don't want you to die!" Kisshu continued to yell. "Hey! Look this way!"

"RIBBON STRAWBERRY CHECK!" She attacked the tree and joined in the light festival with the other four Mews. The trees were healed! Well, all except the big sakura tree. It looked burnt.

Ichigho landed panting. Kisshu walked up from behind her. "Are you ok?"

"Hai…No thanks to…you."

Kisshu shrugged. "See you later." He disappeared.

"Wait!" Ichigo called after him, but he already left.

"Sorry, tree." She apologized. Then she saw a cicada on the ground between the roots. It didn't look alive. She felt tears well up in her eyes, but they disappeared when she heard her name.

"Ichigo?"

_That voice…isn't that…_She turned around and her pupils went small. _Oh its Aoyama-kun. But I'm transformed. Does he know? Oh no…_

"Ichigo…"

_N-no! He can't know! _ She put her hands to her mouth. "N-no! You must have it all wrong! I don't know this Ichigo person you're talking about…" She tried to stay calm. "I'm a Mew Mew." Then she posed cutely and ran away.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

Kisshu teleported into Ichigo's room. "Hey-a Kitty! I just thought of a way to get rid of that annoying kid who keeps stalking you.

Ichigo was sitting at her desk reading a book. "Plan?" she asked.

"Yep! Wanna hear it?"

"What's the point? It's already going to fail." She continued to read.

"What? You haven't even heard it yet!"

"I don't need to. All of your plans to defeat us never work, so why would this?"

"Hey!"

She turned around. "Well, it's true!" she sighed. "What is it anyway?"

"Nope! Can't tell you anymore! You'll see when it takes action!" he flew out her window. She ran to the window and yelled. "Whatever it is, don't hurt him or anyone else!"

"You'll see!" he yelled back.

Ichigo sighed and went back to her book.

Kisshu went to the sewer with alien animal DNA.

"I'm sure Ichigo would disagree with this, but it's more fun this way. Besides, it will get him to stop bothering her… and me!" He grinned maniacally before saying, "Come, Chirema Doria, and do as I order!" This large amoeba mass came out of the sewage water. It looked like a big mutated green glob of goo. "I'll have it rip him limb from limb and Ichigo and I can watch!" he started to laugh maniacally. "Wow, I'm getting violent."

_Now I'm starting to think I want to go along with Kisshu's plan; even though it is probably dangerous!_

Ichigo ran down the hall to hide from Aoyama. _He has been following me all day! I'm just thankful that he's never been to my room...I hope! _He followed her around from the street she gets off from her house to go to school, to school, to the lunchroom, to gym, to class, and now! _Sheez, when is he going to give up?_

"Man, today was crazy! But I made it." Ichigo was on her way to work when she got that feeling again. She turned around. "Kisshu?" She wished it was him. But instead it was Aoyama hiding somewhere again. Not hiding well enough though, because Ichigo could see him clearly. "Don't tell me he is going to follow me all the way to Café Mew Mew too." She whispered to herself. She decided to cut through the forest by the park. She hid behind trees and bushes and just when she thought she lost him, there he was hiding behind trees and bushes too. "Sheez!" she skipped through property and yards and shops. You could hear her say "Sorry!" from behind walls or "I didn't mean it!" or "Excuse me!" she finally reached the café. "Yes! I lost him!" she cheered. But then she saw him coming up the sidewalk. "How is that possible?" he didn't see her, but she wasn't about to give him that chance. She ran into the café and hid herself by quickly doing chores.

"Uh, Ichigo? Are you ok?" Mint asked as soon as she caught up to the redhead.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I've never been better! In fact, I feel so great that I think I will do a little extra work! !" she exited the room waving like an idiot.

"You need to do extra work anyway to make up for being late." Ryou came out from the back.

"And I feel so great that I think I WON'T get mad at you today!" she smiled an extra cheesy smile. AHA HAHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ! ! ! !

"This is getting ridiculous…" Ichigo said as she walked on her way back home, Aoyama a few yards behind her. She finally turned around. "Do you think I don't notice you!" she yelled to him.

He looked around. "Yes, I'm talking to you!" Ichigo added.

"What are you talking about? Can't two people walk on the same road?"

"You've been walking on the same road as me long enough."

"Are you going to come cheer me on at my kendo tournament this Sunday?" he ignored that last statement.

"I don't know; I might be busy…I-I mean…I have to go!" She turned to leave. "Don't follow me!"

Ichigo got home to find Kisshu in her room. "What are you doing in here?"

"Waiting for you."

"Hey! This plan that you're going to do, when is it?"

"This Sunday."

"What! That's the same day as his kendo tournament!"

"Bring the popcorn Ichigo! This is going to be fun."

"You're going to get rid of him for good?"

"Yep!"

"You aren't gonna hurt him are you?"

"I can't promise anything like that. Why are you panting?"

"Kisshu!"

"Did he annoy you today?"

"…"

"Well?"

"Ok Ok, Yes! Like all day…"

"Well from Sunday on, you don't have to worry about him anymore!"

"What are you going to do?" Ichigo caught her breath.

"You'll see. Just wait."

"If you're going to hurt someone, then I'm going to have to stop you."

Kisshu crossed his arms. "Oh well, he's not stalking me. Bye!"

"Wait!" she grabbed his wrist.

"Whaaaat?" He whined.

"Don't 'whaaaat' me. I just wanna see your face." She put her hand to the side of the face she had scratched him when they fought.

"You always see my face."

"That's not what I mean." She moved his hair away. There was nothing there.

"Oh, that cleared away a long time ago. My skin heals faster than yours."

"Ok, good." Ichigo suddenly became aware of how close their faces were to each other and jumped back.

Kisshu just smirked.

"You can go now." She said with a flushed face.

He looked at her strangely, and then left. Ichigo exhaled…then her ears and tail popped out. "Nyaaaau…" she sighed.

SundaySundaySunday

_Even though I don't want to be here, I have to see what Kisshu is planning._ The intercom announced that the tournament was over._ Thank goodness._ She started to leave the gym. Somewhere along the way Aoyama must have seen her, because he started to follow her and she could feel the usual shiver she got whenever he did.

Ichigo led him to the school building, upstairs, and into a certain classroom where no one else was. She felt bad about this, but she did it anyway. Once she was sure he was at the door, she pulled out the keychain she kept on her belt loop and pressed the strawberry button on it.

"Momomiya-san?"

"See, I came to cheer you on." Then she turned to run the other way, but stopped short when she heard a cry.

"Agh!" Aoyama was now covered in these green amoeba things. Then a larger one wrapped itself around him and pulled him into the classroom.

"Chirema animal? Ichigo transformed then ran into the classroom. "Aoyama-kun!"

"Are you ready Ichigo?" Kisshu sat hovering above a desk on the other side of the room.

"This is your plan?"

"Yep! He's not dead yet though. You still have time to watch."

"WHAT? You're going to kill him?"

"Yeah, what did you think?"

"Stop it! You can't murder him! He didn't do anything that bad!

"No."

"I'm not playing around with you!" She jumped for the thing, but Kisshu had it capture her.

"W-What are you doing? You're on break!"

"I'm just making sure you don't interfere."

"Kisshu!"

"It won't hurt _you_."

She looked at Aoyama.

"I'm gonna make the chirema animal rip him limb from limb." He came closer to Ichigo and looked at her face. She looked worried and angry. "Why are you getting upset? He is just an annoying human."

"So is this what you do on your planet? Kill those who are annoying to you? My mission is to protect earth and humanity. He is a human on earth. I can't just do that! And I won't allow you to! Here, it's against the law to kill innocent people!"

"So. You're not the one killing here, it's me and I'm an alien to earth. My mission is to destroy humanity and animal life anyway. You won't be thrown in jail. When my mission succeeds, there won't be a jail to put non-existent people into anyway." He rubbed her head. "If you still feel bad then," he grabbed her face around her mouth in his right hand. "Focus on me." He brought his face closer and closer and was just about to kiss her when…

"NOOOO!" Ichigo pulled away and dashed for the blob of goo surrounding Aoyama, slowly eating him alive.

She jumped into the amoeba-like alien goo and grabbed Aoyama's hand. Suddenly Ichigo started to glow and the amoeba started to slowly melt away.

"What is this power?" Kisshu exclaimed.

Ichigo dropped Aoyama's hand and stood and looked at Kisshu once the ameboa was all gone. "Are you crazy? What's your problem?"

"Him." Kisshu glared. "He is stalking you. Why are you protecting someone like that?"

"He is still human and I won't let you pick on humans or life."

"Then what do you plan to do?"

"I would rather do something about it _leagally_."

Kisshu glared at Aoyama then looked at Ichigo. "I wasn't on break by the way." Then he left.

Ichigo looked at the unconcious Aoyama. He was still breathing. She decided to get out of there before he woke up…too late.

He coughed and got to his feet. "Hey!" he managed to say.

Mew Ichigo stopped in her tracks, and then she started to run. She ran out of the classroom and quickly changed back to Ichigo. She ran down the stairs, but she slid and fell making a loud thud.

"Ichigo?" Aoyama walked to the stairwell. Ichigo looked up to see him descending the stairs.

Ichigo started to get nervous as he got closer. Soon they were face to face and hers was red. Aoyama tied a ribbon around her neck. It had a bell in the front. "Thanks for coming." Then he went down the rest of the stairs and left. Why did he give her a bell? She's no one's toy! She sighed and got up. It was cute though. She left it around her neck and walked downstairs.

Kisshu sat remembering what Deep Blue just said to him: that he has failed too many times and Deep Blue is disappointed in him. He stared into space and was interrupted by a squeaky male voice. It said, "Who can depend on you when you keep losing to humans, Kisshu?"Then two other aliens appeared.

"Taruto! Pai!" Kisshu stood up and turned around to face a shorter alien with pigtails on top of his head. He was wearing a red shirt and blue shorts. Taruto. And the taller alien had purple hair. He wore a sleeveless shirt and long baggy pants. Pai. "We're here to replace you." Pai said.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: **

"Argh! This impossible!" Ichigo screamed at the pan of burnt pastries.

"Uh, Ichigo," Miwa looked over Ichigo's shoulder. "I think you're supposed to bake them not burn them."

"Don't worry, all you need is practice!" Moe took a look at Ichigo's work. "A lot of it!"

"Grr! This is hopeless." Ichigo pulled at her hair. She thought that math class was bad, but home economics was even harder! Well it's more fun than math, and she can cook some things, but there must be something about baking that she is not getting because all of her food ends up burnt or disgusting and in the trash.

"Are you sure you followed all of the directions?"

"Yes! And it still burned. I just don't think that kitchen appliances like me very much." She sighed, then looked beside her at Aoyama who was cooking perfectly with a bunch of girls drooling over him saying how he's so good at everything including cooking. As if the day wasn't bad enough! Now she was going to fail and since both hers and Aoyama's partner was absent for the day, the teacher assigned them to be temporary partners that day. She accepted the teacher's decision, but refused to work with him, when it came down to the actual work.  
"Maybe you just need some help." Miwa suggested.

"Will you help me?" Ichigo asked with teary eyes.

"Sorry, I have to pay close attention to what I'm doing if I want to make this particular recipe work."

"Me too." Moe turned back to her work. "Why don't you ask your partner?" They winked at her.

Ichigo groaned. Maybe she should actually tell them that Aoyama is a creep and she wants nothing to do with him. She looked at him. He was smiling at her. "I could help you." He said. "What are you making?"

"Strawberry tarts." She told him. Why not? He hasn't been chasing her around in a while, and he's just teaching her how to cook.

"Hmmm." He examined the recipe book. "You're doing everything at once. That's the problem."

She watched as he showed her how to make the tart shells and let them bake for a little while until the timer stopped. In the mean time he mixed the glaze and washed and hulled the strawberries. He let the shells cool a little before placing a whole strawberry in each shell then filling the shells with the glaze. He then refrigerated them so that the glaze would set.

"You should read the directions as you work instead of trying to memorize everything and putting the strawberries in the oven with the tartlets." He smiled again. Her face was pink from embarrassment, but he just kept smiling a sweet little smile which creeped her out, so she quickly thanked him and ran back to her work station. She studied the recipe one more time. Oh. She just couldn't believe she needed Aoyama's help to do this. It's a good thing that she only worked as a waitress at the café instead of cooking or actually baking. Ha ha.

"I know! I'll make a strawberry tart for Kisshu!" Ichigo exclaimed as the idea came to her. "Haha, I should poison it. Heh heh!" She got to work. Of course she was joking about the poisoning part. Almost.

Café. Café. Café. Café. Café. Café. Café. Café. Café. Café. Café.

Ichigo ran as fast as she could to the café and still got there late. She carefully placed her strawberry tarts in the refrigerator, then went to change.

"What'cha got in there, Ichigo?" Ryou asked when she came back.

"None of your business! Don't even look at it!" She narrowed her eyes at him before she walked away.

Ryou just smirked.

"What was that, Ichigo?" Lettuce and Mint wondered.

"What was what?"

"You know; the thing that you brought in, that smelled really good."

"Oh, I made those in cooking class today at school."

"Well, are you going to give them to someone?" Mint asked

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Because usually girls give their baked sweets to someone they like." Lettuce put in.

"I know…" Ichigo blushed.

"Well, who?" They both asked.

"Um, I have to fill the next order." She quickly went back to the kitchen to place the next order.

_Maybe I should check on them just in case…_

"Two Raspberry cakes and a chocolate drink please!" she yelled in through the door. Since today wasn't as busy, she didn't have to write the orders down. She glanced at the fridge then did a double take when she saw Pudding's face peeking into its contents.

"Pudding! What are you doing?"

Pudding looked up with crumbs on her face. There's something yummy in here! You should try them Ichigo!"

"The 'yummy thing' wouldn't happen to be my strawberry tarts would they?"

"Oh they were yours?"

"You can't just go around eating anyone's food! What if they were made for something?"

"I only ate one. You have ten more in there. And Ryou said that it was ok. And he took one too."

"Why you…!" Ichigo held up her fist to Ryou's face.

"Hmm? You made this? Impossible, it tastes too good."

"How dare you? Of course it's possible! If you're going to say that you shouldn't have taken one in the first place! It's fine since it is Pudding, but I specifically told you not to touch them."

"No, actually you told me not to look at them."

"Which you did anyway! Ugh!" Ichigo took out a pen and paper, wrote her name in big letters, and placed it on the bag of sweets.

"You both have already had one, so no more for you!" She pointed at Ryou and Pudding and then left.

Akasaka reentered the kitchen after the filling the order for the table that Ichigo took and abandoned while saving her pastries from the blondes of the shop. "Fruit salad and three vanilla milkshakes!" Mint ordered.

"Got it!"Akasaka yelled back. "Hmm." He said as he went to the fridge to get milk. "Huh, I don't remember seeing these in here before." He said upon spying the sweets. The tag with Ichigo's name on it fell out when he jerked the fridge door open. "Maybe they were left over? Though I don't remember…oh well!" He took one out to munch on before he continued his work.

Ichigo decided to go back to check on her tarts. Who knew that this would be the most dangerous place to keep sweets? She opened the door. "Ah! Nine? Who ate one!" She looked to Ryou who just walked in.

"Don't tell me you took another one!"

"What are you talking about? Get back to work."

"Grr!" she stomped back to the customers. As she went through the door Zakuro walked in.

"Why is everyone coming back here?" Ryou sighed.

"It's almost closing time and I refuse to do anymore work."

Ryou sighed again. "Fine." He went out to change the "open" sign to "closed".

"Zakuro-san, there are snacks in the refrigerator if you want any." Akasaka said.

"Hmm." She went in and took two, ten left the kitchen to change.

Ichigo sighed she the last of the people left the restaurant. "Finally!"

"At least we didn't have any alien attacks today." Mint said looking up from her tea.

"You know, last time you said that, an alien attacked!" Ichigo glared at her. She just kept drinking her tea. Ichigo went to the kitchen, again, to take out her food. "Eh? It's not here! Shirogane!" She ran back to where everyone else was sitting. "Does anyone know what happened to my—AAHH!" she screamed when she saw everyone sitting around the table eating her hard work! "What are you guys doing? That's mine!"

"Really they are good. I can't believe you made them." Mint said. "They're not poison either. I had Pudding test it for me!"

Pudding grinned.

"So you guys are the one who have been eating them? I had twelve! And now there are three left?"

"Two." Ryou said as he took the third one.

"But you guys didn't even ask!"

"Sorry," Akasaka said. "I thought they were leftovers from yesterday."

"What about my name card?"

Ryou waved it between his fingers. "Looks like you didn't secure it well enough."

"But some of you knew they were mine!"

"Oh, will you stop being immature and learn to share! There was plenty enough to share with us AND you can still give one or two to whoever you wanted to. Ok? There."

Ichigo was shaking with anger, but all she said was "Wah! You guys are meanies! I slaved away and got dirty and bruised making those!" She pointed to a spot on her elbow where she hit herself while opening the oven. "I had to do it FIVE times before I got it right!" She fussed.

"If you want I could help you make more." Akasaka offered.

"If you let me borrow the kitchen, could I do it myself?"

"Sure."

She got right to work. "I can't believe I have to do this again!" She watched as the others gobble down the rest of them.

"Done!"

"Just in time too! We have another alien attack!" Ryou exclaimed.

Everyone looked at Mint.

"Hey, it was delayed this time." She shrugged.

"Heh heh heh! This is fun! I never get to destroy things at home!" Taruto laughed

"This is not a game. This is work so take it seriously." Pai said in a boring tone.

"Ah, you're no fun, Pai!" Taruto said as he commanded his plant monsters to keep destroying.

"Stop right there!" Ichigo yelled when the girls finally reached the scene. "We cannot let you go any further!" Then she posed. "For the future of the earth we will be of service-nya!"

"So this is who we have to fight? A bunch of old hags?" Taruto laughed.

Ichigo fell over. "Wha? And who are you ya little brat? And where's Kisshu?"

"I'm NOT little." Taruto whined.

"Kisshu's failures have proved him incompetent. We are here to replace him. Pai said boringly.

"I'm Taruto, he's Pai! We're gonna kick your fat old butts!" he started laughing.

"Listen here, you runt! I—"

"I'm not a runt! Hag!"

"Runt!"

"Hag!"

"Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt! Runt!

"HAAAAHAAAH! ENOUGH ALREADY! PLANT MONSTER, GO!"

"Ichigo jumped out of the way and called her weapon out. When she saw the chance she tried "Strawberry Check" on it. "Huh? It didn't work?"

"Let's all try together!" Zakuro yelled.

"RIBON: STRAWBERRY CHECK! MINT ARROW! LETTUCE RUSH! PUDDING RING INFERNO! ZAKURO SPEAR!"

Fail.

"How?" Mint looked at her weapon.

"Doesn't look like you are strong enough! Haha!" Taruto taunted. "This is way too easy! I don't see why Kisshu had trouble with them."

"Humph! He played around too much! That was certainly part of it." Pai said with a little more enthusiasm yet still boringly.

"Ichigo!" Ryou ran to the girls. "Here, take this; its' called "mewberry rod" and it should give you more power." He handed her a dark pink rod that had a heart shape near to the top of it and wings protruding from the shape. The rod fit into place on her strawberry bell. Ryou went to give the other girls their power ups. "Wow, I can just feel the power pulsing through this thing."

"Hey, did you make these? Pretty good for a human." Taruto said, his face in the bag of Ichigo's sweets.

"Yes, they are quite enjoyable for an earthly pastry." Pai said boringly.

"HUH?" Ichigo turned around. "HEY HOW'D YOU GET—? WHY ARE YOU-? AHHH! GET AWAY!

"Why did you even bring that?" Ryou and Mint asked dryly.

"I …uh…I DON'T KNOW!" Ichigo whined. " I didn't want to leave them in the refrigerator again, because I was afraid you guys would eat them again!"

"How are we going to do that if we are all HERE!" Mint pointed out.

"Uh…oh…good point!" Ichigo said stupidly as she crouched down and hid her face from a severely dumb moment. Guess she really didn't think about this all the way through…

"Are we gonna do this or not?" Zakuro asked.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Ichigo screamed.

"Huh?" they all looked to Ichigo who was screaming at Taruto who was feeding his plant thing some of her food.

"GET AWAY YOU STUPID ALIEN!" she started to kick at him.

"WHAT THE—? HEY! AAH! STOP!" He flew back up and took his place next to Pai.

"Enough wasting time. Time to finish this." Pai said, once again, boringly.

"Go! Plant monster!" Taruto ordered.

"URP!" The thing burped. And held its stem as if to hold its stomach.

"Whaaat? You have a stomach ache? Humph, I guess plants can't really eat sweets."

Pai slapped his hand to his face and shook his head—boringly.

"Well he can't do anything in this condition." Taruto concluded. "We'll be back!" And they disappeared.

"Awe! I wanted to test out the new power Pudding fussed."

"AAAGGGHHH!" Ichigo looked in her bag to only find two left. "AGAIN? You guys really are meanies!"

"We didn't do anything." Mint said. "Anyway, I'm going home. Bye!"

Ichigo'shouseIchigo'shouseIchigo'shouseIchigo'shouseIchigo'shouse

Ichigo closed her room door and slid to the floor. She didn't notice when Masha , still in his small key chain form flew out from her pocket and under the door.

_What a crazy day! I even made twelve all over again! I don't even know why I brought them with me! I just had them and didn't put them down! Or maybe I was afraid that Ryou would eat them again. Those jerks! But they said it was good. I haven't even tried them myself._

"Hmmm." She took one out and bit into it. "Wow! They really are good! I can't believe I made this. Even though that's what the others said…" She took out her strawberry button keychain and pressed it.

"Kitty!" Kisshu appeared in an instant.

"Ahhh! That was quick! No, really, too quick!"

"That's because it's Ichigo calling me!"

"What does that mean?" she stood up. "Here" And gave him the other tart.

"You made this? It's not poisoned is it?"

"NO." She glared. "You should be thankful. Do you know how much trouble I went through just to save you one? NO! You don't! Well, a lot! I'll have you know!"

He stared at her a little while before saying ,"Thanks. I was having a bad day, but I feel better now!"

"I made, like, twenty-four, but everyone kept eating them! Including your alien buddies! Where were you?"

"Miss me? I stayed behind because Pai and Taruto came to replace me since I was getting nowhere." Then he smiled at Ichigo. "I guess now I have more time to play with you."

"Whatever."

"Who won?"

"It was kind of a tie. Ask them."

Kisshu sat on Ichigo's window sill staring out the window. Ichigo stood next to him.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Ichigo noticed he was still holding it untouched.

"But this strawberry looks like a heart."

She looked at it. Ah! It did! That wasn't on purpose, but she didn't bother trying to convince Kisshu of that since that would take forever. He dicided to eat it anyway.

"It is really good! I didn't know Kitty could cook!"

"Ugh!" Ichigo sat on the floor nibbling on her tart. Kisshu just patted her head so she was glad her back was to him or he would have seen her face turn pink when his hand touched her head.

**DO U KNOW HOW MUCH TROUBLE I WENT THROUGH JUST TO MAKE THIS PARTICULAR EPISODE? NO, YOU DON'T! But it was fun reading it. The ending is so sweet! Even I went "Awwwe!" when I read it! Well, anyway, HA! SEE? I'M STILL ON! I'M TRYING NOT TO LEAVE SUCH A GAP IN MY UPDATING BREAKS LIKE I DID LAST YEAR. Yeah, year. So there! Smiles!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Ok. So some lines are taken almost directly from the anime, but here again I'm putting up a disclaimer saying that I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, it's characters, or its lines. The credit for the original story does not belong to me. I only own my fan fiction story. Now that that's out of the way, on with the story!**

**CHAPTER 13:**

After the girls closed up the cafe for the day, Akasaka called everyone to the back. He led them to a table set up with a few laptops. "The other day, we had Masha infiltrate the alien's computer by getting captured by Pai and Taruto." Akasaka started

"Eh? What? When? Masha are you ok?" All the girls, except Zakuro screamed, yelled, and wailed.

"MmmHmm!" Masha smiled. "Masha is ok! And successful!"

" When the aliens ran their tests, Masha was able to break into their system and collect valuable information. He then shrunk to Ichigo's key chain form, broke out, and returned." He continued.

"Really? I didn't notice when he left…" Ichigo looked down at the floor. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"We didn't really need you guys since this just involved Masha. If he needed help we would have called you, but he was perfectly capable." Ryou finished.

_No wonder Masha didn't respond when Kisshu came the other day. I know I left him behind at Café Mew Mew all the other times. I should pay more attention._ "What was the point of all of this anyway?"

To gain any information about the aliens that we can. The more we know, the better. Ryou explained.

"What did we find out?" Lettuce asked.

"Let's see." Ryou hooked up Masha to some chords and wires and plugged the other end into the computers.

"It looks like a part of their past."

Ichigo stared at the screen. "Where is this?"

"This is where they first lived." Akasaka explained. "If you look carefully, you can see that this world looks a lot like earth.

"What?" Everyone including Ryou looked at him.

"Look." The man didn't take his eyes off the screen. He zoomed in on a plant and explained how it used to thrive here during earth's earlier days until its extinction. "Earth might have been their home planet in their past."

"But that means that the aliens aren't really aliens, but earthlings!" Pudding said with an 'I just figured something out!' smile on her face.

"It would seem that way." Mint said her eyes fixed on the screen.

Ichigo looked at Ryou who was looking intently at the screen.

"But why aren't they here now? What happened?" Lettuce asked.

"There were changes in the environment that made it impossible to live in. So they evacuated the entire planet in pods coordinated to find a new planet to live on. However…"

"Ichigo caught her breath at that last word.

"However, the conditions of the new planet were worse and leaving was beyond their means. Now earth is spoken of as if a dream." He looked up. "I believe they wish to reclaim earth to save their people."

"I can sympathize." Zakuro stated. "Earth is what they consider paradise, especially now that its conditions are livable. For humans to come inhabit the planet and destroy it is unforgivable to them; that's why they treat humans the way they do. I would too."

"Zakuro…" Ichigo and Lettuce gasped.

"I'm not siding with them. They have no right to go around harming humans, whatever the reason. I'm just saying that I understand their feelings and motives."

"There is no point in feeling sorry for them. Zakuro is right when she said that they shouldn't go around harming humanity." Ryou said, his back to them.

"We can't talk with them?" Lettuce asked.

"If that were possible," Ryou said on his way out. "Then we wouldn't be needed." He left.

Ichigo sat there looking at her lap. "Kisshu…" she whispered.

"What was that?" Mint turned to her.

"Huh? Oh. Nothing." _But I should still ask him._

"So what are you guys doing for summer vacation?" Ichigo asked Moe and Miwa over the cell phone as she walked home.

"Ah! I'm going to the beach!" The blonde squealed.

"Nothing yet! But I'll find something to do!" The brunette replied. "What about you Ichigo? Anything special? Like with a BOY?"

"What? N-no! I mean…"

"Yeah, we saw you sneak out with those tarts the other day. Who'd you give them to?"

"Well mostly my co-workers ate them, but—"

"Ichigo! I hear Aoyama isn't doing much this summer! How about getting together?"

"Look! Aoyama is a creepy, stalking freak and I want nothing to do with him!"

The girls were silent a moment before replying. "You said that before, but you're still nice to him."

"Yeah, and when I see him at school it's just so hard to believe that he would do the things that you say he does. He is so nice and charming and can do everything! It's no wonder that he is the most popular and most liked boy in school—even by the teachers!"

"That's because you don't really know him." Ichigo muttered under her breath.

"And what? You think you know him? I think you should give him another chance. Then maybe he would stop bothering you!"

"That's dumb! The day I give him another chance, is the day I fall in love with Kisshu!" She yelled.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Uh! Never mind! Bye!" she closed the phone. _Why did I say that? I mean I know that neither of those things would ever happen, but why— _  
She bumped into someone as she was walking.  
"Ah! So sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going! I—" She looked at the person she bumped into. "Aoyama-kun?"

"Hi!"

"You didn't happen to hear the conversation I had on the phone earlier did you?"

"No, why?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good! No reason! Hahaha! Don't worry about it! Hahaha! Bye!" She ran off. Once she reached the park she stopped to breathe. "Ahhh. Why am I always running?"

"I-chi-go!" Kisshu appeared out of nowhere.

"Whaah!" Ichigo fell over. Kisshu just laughed. She got up grabbed his wrist and dragged his flying body over to where the trees were more dense and where there were less people. "Don't scare me like that!" She looked around. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to tell you," he stopped for a moment then decided to change his sentence. "I'm bored."

"That's it?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Yep!"

"I don't have time for this." She started to walk away.

"Wait! What's your hurry? You can't be busy since you're on summer vacation!"

"You idiot! If we're seen together, who knows how news will get around and back to the other Mews? Go away!"

"No."

"Wha'd'ya want? Food?"

"Well…"

"How did this happen?" Ichigo said between bites of her parfait. Kisshu sat next to her on bench. Ichigo bought the food of course.

"Hey! This is like a date!" Kisshu said happily.

"N-NO! No! It isn't!" Ichigo protested.

"Sure it is! Remember the heart shaped strawberry tart you gave me?"

"That was complete coincidence!"

"You did it subconsciously."

"Whatever." She sighed. Then she smiled and watched Kisshu eat his parfait.

Lettuce sighed ahs she breathed in and out the summer air. "It's so hot out! Maybe I should take a break before I continue home." She decided to stop at the park and buy some juice from a vending machine. "Hmm?" she stopped on her way to the vending machine when she saw Ichigo. She was a little far away, but she could tell that redhead anywhere. Who was she sitting with? She couldn't really tell. A boy? Someone she liked? He was sitting on the other side of her so Lettuce couldn't see him well. "Maybe I should go in for a closer look-"

"What are you doing Lettuce?" Mint walked up to her.

"Ah!" Lettuce grabbed Mint by the shoulder and covered her mouth. "Shhhh! Look."

"Ichigo's got a boyfriend? And she never told us? Unless he's new! We'll get it out of her the next time we see her." Mint punched her fist to her hand. Lettuce sweatdropped. Then Mint spotted Pudding doing tricks for tips a little ways behind her and Lettuce. Then Pudding noticed Ichigo's red hair.

"Ichigo-onee-chan—mmph!" Pudding started to yell before she was tackled by Lettuce who brought her back to where Mint was standing.

"Shhhhh!" Lettuce pointed to Ichigo. "She's sitting with someone."

"A boy? And she didn't tell us? Let's beat it out of her the next time we see her!" Pudding punched her fist to her hand.

"Right!" Mint agreed and punched her hand again.

Lettuce fell over.

"I should go now." She started to get up, but Kisshu held her back.

"Wait a minute."

"Huh?"

"You don't want people to see us together right? Well, there are certain people around that you specifically don't want to see us."

"Huh? Who?"

"Your friends." He pointed to where the other Mews were standing.

She looked here he pointed. "How did you know that they were there?"

"I heard them. These ears aren't just for decoration you know.

"I know, you said that already…"

"And I saw their multi colored hair. Who could miss that?"

"You think that's how they spotted me?" She tried to cover her hair with her arms. "They are looking right over here." Of course they tried to hide behind the vending machine every time she looked their way.

"Just act normal. I'll leave first."

"Thanks. You know you do too much for me."

"That's because it's you, Kitten." He patted her head and stood up. "And because each time I do something for you, you owe me. Right now you owe me at least thirteen favors."

"Gee. Thanks." She said flatly.

"Bye. Thanks for the food! I'll be back!" He walked away behind the trees and disappeared.

"Stupid…" Ichigo muttered. "Uh-oh!" She looked at her friends. "If they get over here, they're gonna have questions!" She quickly got up and left.

That night she took a long cold shower, since it was so hot out, before she went to bed. She didn't dry her hair or button the bottom of her pajama shirt leaving her stomach exposed. She fell asleep, but forgot to put the blanket over her. So in the morning, she caught a cold.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14:**

"Ichigo's sick." Lettuce said after getting a call from Ichigo. "She can't come in today."

"That's too bad." Mint said between sips of tea.

"She's just avoiding us because we have questions!" Pudding raised her fist in the air. "We should go visit her!" She said dramatically. "Then question her! We want answers!"

"Calm down Pudding." Mint said.

Ryou stood outside the door, out of sight, listening carefully to their conversation.

Aliens!Aliens!Aliens!Aliens!Aliens!Aliens!Aliens!Aliens!AaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhH!

Pai, Taruto, and Kisshu stood on top of a building discussing their plan.

"We go at once to separate them. They will be weakened with their forces divided. Two of us will have to take two of them since there are five. One of us will have just one." Explained boring Pai—how else?—boringly.

"I'll take the one." Kisshu raised his hand. "The pink one." Before the other two had time to say anything, he flew away.

Pai sighed boringly. "That guy."

"Ichigo-onee chan!" Pudding screamed.

"We brought a fruit basket." Mint placed the basket on Ichigo's desk.

"Thank you…" Ichigo said weakly.

"How are you feeling?" Lettuce asked.

"Sick. But I'll be better in no time; I'm sure of it. _Cough, cough._ Thanks for worrying though."

"Are you well enough to answer some questions?" Pudding pulled out a pen and notepad.

"Pudding!" Mint and Lettuce said together.

"It's just a few questions." Pudding said as she pulled out her detective hat and put it on. "Besides, she answered your questions."

The other two sighed and Ichigojust looked confused.

"Now, who were you with yesterday? A boy? Who was he? What was his name? Do we know him? Do we need to know him? Was he handsome? Was he cute? Why are you keeping it from us? Are you faking sick just to avoid answering my questions? Is he someone we will meet in the future? A friend? Or a BOYFRIEND? Is he human or mole people? Or is he an ALIEN?"

Ichigo's eyes were in spirals from being dizzy with confusion until she heard 'alien.' "What!" her ears and tail popped out.

"Just joking!" pudding put away her hat. "So who is he?"

"Ok! That's enough, Pudding!" Mint and Lettuce started to drag her away. "Bye, Ichigo! We'll see you later!"

"Wait!" Pudding struggled to get free unsuccessfully. "Why did your ears and tail pop out? That usually means something!"

"Quiet, Pudding! Don't say those things when her parents are still around!" Mint scolded.

"Bye again!" Lettuce closed the door.

Ichigo lay back down and put the covers over her head. She sighed as she fingered the little key chain that Kisshu gave her. _I wonder if I shouldn't invite him. Who knows who else might come in unexpectedly? Besides, if I call him over and he is on duty, then things would be bad. I don't have the energy to fight!_

Then she heard another knock on the door. _If it's Mom or Dad, I could ask them to make me something out of the fruit—like a smoothie! _That in mind, she sat up again with a smile. "Come in!" The door opened and Aoyama walked in. "Hi."

"AAHHH! What are you doing here!" She jumped back under the covers.

"I heard you were sick, so I came to see you."

"Where did you hear that?"

"You know…somewhere…"

"Uh-huh… Creep!" she buried her head under the blanket.

"Oh come on, I just came to check on you."

"OK! Well as you can see, I'm just fine! So, _cough,_ you can leave now…_cough, cough…!" _She fell out of her bed. He tried to help her back up. "Don't touch me!" _Oh, why did my parents let him in? Maybe I should have told them about him after all…_

"Well, I can't just leave you there on the floor." He helped her back into bed anyway. "I see you still wear the bell I gave you."

"Well, despite the fact that _you_ gave it to me, it's still cute."

It was silent for a moment, then Ichigo broke the silence. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." He smiled at her.

"Why do you keep following me? It's really creepy."

"…Because I—"

"Ichigo!" He was interrupted by Ichigo's mother who just walked into the room. "Did you want me to make you a smoothie out of those fruits?" She looked around. "Oh my, am I interrupting something?"

"Ah, no! I was just leaving. Bye, Ichigo! Hope you feel better." Aoyama walked out.

Ichigo waited until he left then she turned to her mother. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"NEVER! Let him in again."

"Um, ok. May I ask why?"

"I'll take a smoothie, please!" Then she laid her head back down and covered her face.

"Ok!" her mother picked up the basket and left, closing the door behind her. Ichigo lifted the covers from her face when her mom left. She sighed as she went to go look out the window. Then, suddenly, Kisshu appeared right in front of her. "Aaahh" She fell backwards. "Don't DO that!"

He held out a hand to help her up. When she took it, he yanked her closer to him. "So you're sick. That's too bad. Or it's too bad that I'm not on break today." Then he softened his expression. "Maybe if you let me capture you, I won't have to fight you in your weak state."

"No, way!" Then her expression softened as she thought of the content that Masha pulled up about Kisshu's people's history the other day. "I guess you have to take your work seriously when you're on duty, huh?"

"Well, yeah, but where is this coming from all of a sudden?" He let her arm go.

"Nothing."

"So should I chase you or should you run?"

"That's basically the same thing!"

He just smirked. "Ok then, both." He started to come closer.

She started to back up. "W-what if you get sick?"

"I'll heal faster than you anyway. And I'd still be stronger than you—humans get so weak so easily." He started to laugh. Masha quickly got up from Ichigo's desk, changed back to his regular size and shouted, "Alien, alien!" at Kisshu.

"You're a little late, stupid fuzz ball!" Kisshu whacked him at the bed.

Ichigo took that as an opportunity to go for the window since he was blocking the doorway.

By the time Kisshu turned around, she was out the window and in the tree nearest to her room. She clung for dear life. "Aahh! That was really scary! Aah!" She started to slide, then just before she fell she flipped over grabbing the trunk with her hands and wrapping her legs around the trunk again as she slid the rest of the way to the bottom. "Thank goodness for my cat-like powers!" She said as those anime tears ran down her face.

Kisshu laughed in amusement. "That was funny AND cool! Hahaha! "

"Oh, shut up!" She muttered under her breath.

"I heard that!" Kisshu grinned.

"Grr!" Ichigo got up and started running.

"Ok! My turn!" He followed her.

"This is not a game!"_It's a REALLY good thing I decided not to call him today. _

"It's fun to me!" He paused. "You really shouldn't be running in that state."

"You don't leave me much choice! It's your fault for picking today of all days to attack."

"I'm not to only one who decides when we attack, you know. Besides it makes it easier to capture you!" he started to throw Chimera DNA bombs at her.

"No! I'm not going back with you! Leave me alone!" She said as she dodged the attacks.

By the time she reached a parking lot she was out of breath so she stopped for a little bit only to be hit by one of Kisshu's attacks.

"Awe. I don't wanna hurt you."

"Then…why are you attacking?" She lifted herself up from the ground and transformed.

MEW MEW STARWBERRY! METAMORPHASIS!

"For the future of the earth I with be of service! ~Nya!—_cough cough cough._"

"Even though you transformed you're still sick." He sighed. "Come on. This is probably terrible for you."

"You think?" She tried to muster up some energy. "STRAWBERRY BELL!" Her vision was getting blurry. _If only I could fight just a little. I have no energy and I feel faint, but…_

"Uh, Ichigo, are you alright?"

She stumbled, then caught herself, and then stumbled again.

"Ugh, I'm gonna get in trouble for this." He muttered before flying over to catch her before she hit the ground. He held her up by one shoulder, but some else had her other shoulder.

"I will protect you." The person said to Ichigo in such a monotone voice it rivaled Pai's. He had long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, and a blue outfit on with a long blue coat. He yanked Ichigo away from Kisshu and glared at him.

"Who are you?" Ichigo whispered.

"I am the Blue Knight."

"The Blue…Knight…?" she fainted and he put her down near a tree and faced Kisshu.

Kisshu glared. "Just who are you!" He brought out his dragon swords, and got ready to attack.

"What does it matter to you? I'm obviously not you're ally." He got out his sword and got ready to attack.

"Humph!" Kisshu took his stance. "This could be interesting."

_Cling! Cling! Clash! Clash! Swiping of swords! And all that noise didn't wake up Ichigo. There was also yelling._

"Why did you save Ichigo and what is your relationship with her?" Kisshu asked angrily.

The Blue Knight was silent.

"ANSWER ME!" Kisshu yelled. They continued to fight and the Blue Knight remained silent throughout the whole battle, as Kisshu continued to bark questions at him. "WHAT HAVE YOU TO DO WITH HER!" _And fight, fight, fight, clashing of swords, spitting headaches, and other._

Ichigo awoke to find Kisshu fighting with the Blue Knight. "W-what's going on?" She asked herself and stood up and walked slowly over to where the two were fighting. She didn't get far when the knight jumped in front of her blocking her from Kisshu's vision.

"Huh?" Ichigo blinked.

"Ichigo is mine! HANDS OFF!" Kisshu lunged at the knight, weapons pointed straight at him.

"Kisshu, NO!" Ichigo managed to scream.

But the Blue Knight dodged it anyway. Kisshu only managed to cut the sleeve of his coat and scratch his arm. By that time the other girls arrived. All aiming their weapons at Kisshu.

MINTO ARROW!

LETTUCE RUSH!

PUDDING RING INFERNO!

ZAKURO SPEAR!

Kisshu doubled back at the force of their power. Taruto and Pai appeared at his side. "This is stupid!" Taruto said. Then they all disappeared together.

The Blue Knight bowed out saying once more, "I was born to protect you." Then he walked away and disappeared.

"Weird." Mint put in.

"Mysterious." Pudding said. "And good looking."

"Ichigo!" Ryou came running around the corner. "Ichigo!"

"Shirogane…" she fainted again.


	15. Chapter 15

**So! I'm back again…don't know for how long, but I'm back! Anyway! I want to say sorry to Pai for saying he's boring all the time. That was supposed to be a one chapter thing, but I put it in other chapters too. I don't actually think he is THAT boring. I just put it in there because I thought it was funny. Then I got carried away. So, once again, I'm sorry. I'll try not to put it in there like that unless I'm actually serious about it. On with the story!**

**CHAPTER 15:**

Ichigo woke up the feeling much better…well physically better. Her head was hurting from all of the thinking she was doing last night. The Blue Knight. Who was he? Why was Kisshu so mad and why has Shirogane been looking at her all weirdly for the past few days? This is too much. Pudding thinks that Shirogane is the Blue Knight, but how can that be? She reached for her key chain and was about to press the button when her mom walked in the room. Ichigo quickly hid it under her pillow. "Ichigo, you have a phone call. It's from that boy from yesterday."

"Let it ring."

"But I already answered it. I don't know why you don't like him. He's nice."

"He only seems that way."

"What did he do to you?"

"Well, if you really want to know, he's a stalker."

"What? Him? Oh no, that couldn't be. He's a kind person; he even came over when you were sick. And he's handsome. Someone like him coming over to our house to see you? That's sweet!"

"So you don't believe me?"

"No."

"You too? Every girl in school is like that!"

"Ichigo, answer the phone. It's impolite to keep someone waiting like this."

"Fine…Hello?" she picked up the phone.

"Oh hi, Ichigo! Is your cold better."

"Yes, thank you." She put her free hand on her hip.

"Good! I was wondering if you would like to go somewhere with me the day after tomorrow."

"What? You think that you can just come to my house, check up on me once while I was sick, and get a date out of me three days later? Well you're completely—"

"Ichigo!" Her mother scolded listening in from a different phone.

"Hold on a moment." Ichigo put the phone down and stomped to the next room. "Mom?"

"You're not about to turn that nice boy down!"

"But, Mom!"

"Don't make me make you go!"

"How are you going to make me go?"

After a few minutes of arguing, "You're going and that's that!" She said before leaving the room, cordless phone still in hand.

Ichigo gave an exaggerated sigh, before agreeing with Aoyama to go somewhere, preferably the amusement park. If she had to go, might as well be somewhere fun. Besides maybe she wouldn't have to talk to him on the rides OR maybe she could 'lose' him in the park and run to escape before he finds her! That's a great idea! "Ok see you there!" she said, now all cheery, and hung up the phone. Then she skipped upstairs and closed the door, reached under her pillow and pressed the strawberry button.

"Hey Kisshu, what's that noise that always goes off before you leave to go somewhere?" Taruto asked covering his ears.

"Huh?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a button, similar to Ichigo's only bigger and it wasn't on a key chain and it wasn't actually a button, but more like a speaker that only made noise. It had three buttons on the side, though; one to shut of the noise and the other two controlled the volume. He turned it down a little then turned it off. "Sorry, nothing."

"Are you going to leave again? Where do you always go?"

"No. Not this time." He said ignoring the other question.

"Why not?"

"Leave me alone." He went away.

"What's with him?" Taruto asked Pai who just came into the room.

"He is mad about the Blue Knight from the other day. Just let him be."

Taruto shrugged.

Ichigo pressed the button again. Nothing. "Is it broken? Or is he just ignoring me because he is still mad? I didn't do anything!"

The day of the date. The day of the date. The day of the date. The day of the date.

Ichigo walked along side Aoyama, her key chain in her pocket. She made sure she left Masha home just in case she decided to call Kisshu. _That dummy! Ignoring me the other day!_ _And I was gonna ask him to watch out for Aoyama-kun too._"

"Ichigo?" Aoyama interrupted her thoughts. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She sighed. "Look," They stopped walking in front of an ally. "I'm sorry for being so mean to you all the time. It just drives me crazy, how you're always following me and…HOW YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME ON DATES BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT OTHER GIRLS!" She yelled at him for emphasis since that was exactly what he was doing at the moment. "Humph." She turned her back to him.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't looking at other girls though…I was…I was listening to you; I heard every word!"

She was about to stomp off when two hands came out of nowhere and pulled Ichigo back into the ally.

"Aahh! Let me go you—Kisshu?"

He put her down and crossed his arms while floating.

"Oh, NOW you decide to come out. Humph!" She turned her back to him.

"I didn't know I was missed."

She turned around and pressed the button he gave her. A weird noise sounded from his pocket. He turned it off.

"You didn't know, huh?" She said sarcastically.

"Fine, whatever!"

"Why were you ignoring me? You're not still mad because of the Blue Knight are you? It's not like I set him on you! Why avoid me? And why were you so mad the other day? He was just protecting me!"

"You ask a whole lot of questions." It was his turn to turn his back.

"Awe, you get territorial don't you? WELL, I'M NOT YOUR PROPERTY!"

He winced at her yell. "That doesn't matter now; why are you with him?"

"My mom made me go on a date with him." Ichigo sighed.

"How dumb! I'll destroy him for you!" He started to fly over to where Aoyama was calling for Ichigo.

"Kisshu! No!" She grabbed his wrist.

He stopped. "Why do you keep protecting him?"

"Just stop. I'm going back now." She headed back to where Aoyama was, but before she got there, Kisshu teleported near him a knocked him out. "KISSHU!"

"Hahaha! You should have seen the look on his face!" Kisshu laughed.

"That's not funny! Why is everything a game to you?"

"Not everything… but look on the bright side, you get to spend the day with me!"

"How's that bright again? Besides you can't go on the rides! You're an alien and people would notice!"

"Then I'll just scare everyone out with a Chimera Animal."

Ichigo just rolled her eyes. "We can't just leave him here!"

"You complain too much; of course we can." He laid him on the bench. "Happy?" he grabbed her hand and led her to the House of Horror.

"N-n-n-no, Kisshu! Not there! I can't stand that place! It's actually scary!" Not that she could stop him. And he was pulling her along with him! Once inside, Kisshu landed only to be brought down to the floor by a clinging Ichigo.

"You really are scared, aren't you?" He patted her head. "We haven't really gone anywhere you know."

"It's dark! And things can come out of anywhere!"

Kisshu stood up, Ichigo on his arm. He pulled free and put his arm around her. They started walking. "Really, all this stuff is not scary; and why would you be afraid of it if you could beat it up? This stuff is all fake anyway."

She started to claw at his neck when a weird Jack-in-the-Box thing popped out of nowhere. Kisshu winced, though he was glad he picked this place to go first.

"Get me out of here!" She put her hands around his neck and started choking him.

"OK! Ok!"

Then suddenly, Ichigo felt a hand settle itself on top of her shoulder. She freaked out and hid behind Kisshu who just pulled at the hand revealing it to be a mechanical arm. Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. As they walked further into the maze, Kisshu had to smack away arms and legs and reveal voices and sounds as recorded noises and even destroy things that seemed like threats to Ichigo along the way in order to make her calm down. He was happy to do it though, and Ichigo seemed to trust him more. Finally they reached the end and Ichigo ran to hug a tree.

"Light!" She screamed as her knees made contact with the grass. "Finally, some light!"

Kisshu laughed. "You didn't think that I'd seriously let anything happen to you did you?" He had his hands on his hips as he floated.

"You ATTACKED me when I was sick!"

"I didn't tell you to get sick the day we planned to attack!"

"Well, I didn't tell you to attack on the day I got sick."

Kisshu laughed again.

"What's SO funny?"

"You're so cute!"

Throughout the rest of the day, the two enjoyed roller coasters, Acrophobia-type rides, the Ferris wheel and all kinds of others. Apparently people either didn't notice Kisshu or they thought he was in some kind of costume, because they didn't say anything, even when he was flying.

**Kind of a pointless chapter really. I kept writing it and rewriting it and I couldn't figure out a way to make it good. So I finally decided to leave it and move on.**


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16:**

Ichigo looked around to make sure that she wasn't being followed on her way home from shopping. "Can't even step outside my house without being paranoid" she muttered under her breath. As she was walking she ran in to Ryou. "Shirogane?"

"Oh, Ichigo, are you feeling better?" He said.

"Yep! Much better! I'm be back at work next week."

"Good. Then I guess I'll tell you about the trip since you're here already."

"Trip? What trip?"

"The beach trip. I told the others already, but since you were sick I haven't had the chance to tell you. I'm taking the Mews on a vacation next week. You girls have earned it since you work so hard all the time."

Ichigo's face lit up. "That's great! I'm glad I healed fast enough."

"Then it's settled." He turned to leave. "See you next week." He waved and left.

"Sweet!" Ichigo skipped a little as she continued walking.

"Can I come?"

"Daah!" Ichigo turned around to face Kisshu. "Why do you always do that? Can't you show up without scaring me?"

"It's more fun this way." He smiled. "But can I go? Please. Please. Please. Pleeeeaaaase?"

"No." She turned to continue walking.

"Why not?" He pouted and followed.

"Because Shirogane is taking the _Mews_. You know, the ones who are _against_ you."

"So?"

"_So_, it's too much trouble." She turned around and counted off her fingers as she named all the reasons why he shouldn't come. "You would have to hide all the time and probably demand more attention than I can give you. People would probably notice you, the vacation would be more hectic then relaxing, and you remember how much trouble the last trip was when you came along. I don't want you messing it up just because you suddenly get an assignment. No."

"So. If I get an assignment, I'll have to find you anyway. And…" He got closer to her face. "You can hide with me."

She pushed his face away, turned her back, and folded her arms. "No means no."

"You just don't want me to see all those other girls in bikinis and swimsuits. " He said while floating on his side, his head resting on his hand his other hand playing in his hair.

"That has nothing to do with it!" She turned back around, a blush on her face.

"You just want me all to yourself."

"Don't get full of yourself!"

He followed her, and they argued all the way home. The fight ended with Ichigo agreeing to let Kisshu come along. _How does he always do this?_ She wondered. Her parents weren't home, so Kisshu followed her through the front door.

"So this is what your house looks like." He said as he plopped down on the couch.

"Don't get too comfy now. They could be getting home at anytime." Ichigo said as she started unpacking groceries.

"I can get out of here easy." He said smiling at her. She smiled back. Then watched him as he figured out how to turn on the TV. _I'm losing myself. _She thought to herself. _We've already become friends_.

"Yay! The beach!" Pudding cheered as the group finally reached their destination. Pudding ran straight down to the water as the group headed to the villa.

"Come on, Pudding!" Lettuce called for her.

There were five rooms in the little villa at which they were staying. The guys got a room together and Lettuce and Pudding were rooming together. Mint wanted a room with Zakuro, but she insisted to get a room by herself, so Mint did the same, leaving Ichigo to room by herself—well, by herself and Kisshu. As soon as she got settled in her room, Ichigo pressed the button. In an instant Kisshu was sitting on one of the beds. Ichigo sighed.

"Yay! We're on vacation!" Kisshu threw his fists up.

"Yay." Ichigo said in a defeated tone, before sighing again. "Just…don't get caught."

"Doing what? Peeping?"

"That too!" She stood up. "Speaking of which, I'm going to change now, so, go somewhere else." She shooed him into the closet.

"I can teleport you know."

"But I'm gonna hide somewhere and you won't know where I am." She said while trying to close the door.

He put his hand out to stop it from closing. "Your keychain button is a tracker, remember?"

She stopped for a moment to take out the button and throw it on the bed so he could see, before closing the door. "And stay out of sight!" She said. Then she gathered up her swim clothes and headed for the community bathroom, not wanting to take a chance with Kisshu and the bathroom in the bedroom. Kisshu opened the door and sat on the floor waiting for her to come back. When she did his face lit up at the sight of her outfit. It was a pink halter bikini with strawberries all over the bottom and a single strawberry in the corner of the top. The hem, tie, and lining of the two-piece were hot pink. She wore matching flip flops. Her hair was in a single high ponytail, which she tied with a ribbon. She took off the bell so it wouldn't get wet. Kisshu got up and walked over to her.

"You look great!" He said.

"Uh, thanks." She said as she looked herself over. Then she smiled at him. "Soooooo…how's this gonna work? I swim with my friends a little, 'retire' then go swim with you? Or do you have something better, planned?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She blushed. "We could simply disappear together."

She pushed herself away and turned her back, putting her hands to her face to hide her blush. "S-stop that. You know better."

"Haha. I was only joking." He put his hands behind his head and smirked.

"Shhh! People will hear you!" She walked to peek out the door, her back still to him. He closed the door with one arm and backed her up against it. Her eyes widened. She turned around.

"Half-joking." Kisshu said, a smirk on his face. "You're not afraid of me are you?"

"N-no. Why would I be?" She tried to smile. He moved closer, if closer were possible in this situation. "What are you doing?" She whispered. His facial expression looked a little more serious as his face got closer to hers until his lips brushed her right ear.

Her face was burning red when he said slowly in answer to her question, "Freaking you out."

As soon as her cat ears and tail popped out, Kisshu stepped back and started to laugh.

"Why you—!" Ichigo said as she tried to pat her ears back into her head. Kisshu put his hands to his sides to try to control his laughter.

"It's not funny!" She shook him by his shoulders until he fell over taking her with him. She sat up and crossed her arms. "You're a jerk! See if I swim with you!"

"Wait, no!" Kisshu sat up too.

"What!"

"Sorry." He gave her an innocent smile.

"Awe!" She said as if cooing a baby. "But I know you well enough to resist that face." She continued sarcastically in the same voice.

"Ok fine." He got up and helped her up. "We'll go with your plans, but I'm not telling you what I'll be doing in the meantime. Bye!" He teleported away.

"Wait!—UGH!" Grumbling, Ichigo gathered up her towel, sunscreen, and other beach stuff and headed for the door.

.

Kisshu watched from as Ichigo jumped in the water and swam and played with her friends. He sighed and flew to the beach on the other side of the villa where no other people were. He decided to swim too. But he didn't change into a swimsuit. He simply went far enough underwater so that he could stand, submerged and sat there watching the fish swim by. Being the superpower endowed alien that he was, he could breathe under the water. Then he spotted something red move. It swam away. He followed it until it stopped. He heard voices. He moved closer until he saw that the red thing was—Taruto's shirt? Taruto! Pai! "What are you guys doing here!"

"We're looking for something to attack the mews with." Taruto replied. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Assignment?" Kisshu asked, ignoring the question.

"No, we're just taking initiative." Pai said. "Is this where you disappeared off to? Why are you here, then?"

"Vacation."

"You never told us anything about that!" Taruto whined.

"I don't have to tell you everything."

"You know," Taruto folded his arms, "your disappearances are getting pretty suspicious. You leave too often. What are you always doing?"

"Nothing you need to know."

"You had better stop messing around so much Kisshu. You could get into trouble." Pai warned.

"Save your scolding for children. Good bye." With that, he left.

Ichigo went back to the room to get her key chain. She knew she wouldn't really need it, but somehow she felt safer when she had it on her. Lacking pockets she stored it in her cleavage. _Hope I don't accidentally press it._ She thought as she left the room again. _I wonder what Kisshu is doing._ She saw her friends with smoothies and slushies. _I'll call him after I get one of those!_ She thought happily to herself as she skipped over to where her friends were._ This is great! A whole week like this! And the best part is, no Aoyama-kun!_ After she got her slushie, she plopped herself down on a beach chair and bathed in the sun.

"Hey! Whatcha doin'?" Kisshu suddenly said from behind her.

"Ah!" She jumped. "Oh, Kisshu." She exhaled, then panicked again. "Uh! Did I call you?"

"No..." He said slowly. "I got bored so I went and found you. Looks like you're wearing your tracker again. But wouldn't you know if u called me?"

"Uh, yeah. Heh, heh." She sat sideways, with her feet in the sand, trying to face him. "Hey, have you had a slushie before? Try this." She put the straw to his mouth.

He smiled. "Pretty good." His ears twitched.

She looked at her feet. _So cute!_ She thought. "Strawberry lemonade. You can have it." She got up.

"Where ya going?"

" I'm gonna go play beach volleyball."

"What about me?"

"I'll play with you afterwards!"

Kisshu plopped on the beach chair where Ichigo sat and watched her walk over to her friends as he slurped the drink. His eyes narrowed at the group of boys that watched as Ichigo walked by. Hmm. Maybe he would have a little fun on this vacation. He smirked and got up after he finished the slushie.

.

The volleyball game ended with Mint and Zakuro's team winning against Ichigo, Pudding, and Lettuce. The three were down in the sand while the two stood over them.

"You're pitiful." Mint said with a smirk on her face.

"You're mean." Ichigo lifted her head up to say.

"It's so hot out here!" Pudding whined.

"Why not let's go in the water and throw the ball to each other? That should cool us off, right?" Ichigo suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea." Lettuce agreed.

So that's what the group did, until they were confronted by a group of rough looking boys. "Hello, Ladies."

"Uh, hi. We're busy now though, so bye." Ichigo said. The group moved away, but the guys followed them.

"Nice going, Ichigo!" Mint whispered to her. "You shouldn't have given them an audience! Maybe then they would have gone away!"

"Can't we just ignore them now?"

"It's going to be harder to get them to go away though. Plus, now that they have our attention, they might come closer."

"Sorry."

"The best thing to do now is g inside." Zakuro said. "Let's go."

"Why? This is everybody's beach! And Pudding still wants to play longer!" Pudding said in third person.

"But you don't want to play with them." Lettuce told Pudding then looked up. "Ah! They're coming closer!"

They tried to leave again, but the boys backed them up against the water. "Where are you going? We just want to play." They said.

"Well, we don't." Ichigo spoke out again. If the others weren't here she'd call Kisshu. He'd probably knock them all out in a second.

"What? We don't bite." They said coming closer. "Much." They smirked and laughed at their leader's comment as he reached for the girls.

"Get away!" They screamed.

"Didn't they say they didn't want to play with you? Ryou appeared behind the gang, Akasaka in front, shielding the girls.

"Humph." The group backed off for now.

"It's getting a little late. Let's go inside." Ryou told the girls and led them into the villa. They spent the rest of the day inside. That night though, they had a barbeque. When Ichigo finally got away from the group she called Kisshu. He appeared in front of her arms crossed.

"Sorry." Ichigo gave him a shy smile.

"Why didn't you call me earlier?"

"I know. I know. I'll make it up with an entire day just you and me, ok? It's just that some things happened and I got tired and took a nap and—"

"Some things? I saw what happened. Nap or no nap, you still should have called me."

"But the other Mews—"

"I don't care. I want to protect you, you know….when I can. Haha."

"Well, if you saw what happened why didn't you come?"

"I wanted you to call me, but I would have come if those other two didn't. But I did sit next to you while you were sleeping."

"What? You were there! What did you do while I was sleeping?"

"Nothing! I just sat next to you." He grinned. "And found out where you hid you're tracker button."

Ichigo hugged herself and stepped back.

"I didn't touch it! I just figured it out by tracing it directly."

She glared at him.

"I left after that"

Still glaring.

"Ok, ok. Stop glaring like that."

"Whatever. You want me to sneak you some food?"

"Yeah."

**As I was rereading this chapter, I realized I have to get better in my writing skill…a lot better. I will though— eventually. But I have a lot of work to do and I kinda don't know where to start. So! Do you guys have any helpful critique or suggestions for me? I already know that I should make better climaxes in each chapter and make scenes a little less comedic and abrupt. You guys have anything else? Also is there anything you guys would like to see happen in future chapters? Thanks for being patient with me! **


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